Guide 196 / 200 4 alternatives 2-minute read
Better ways to say “on the other hand”
A pivot-cliché that often marks a rhetorical balance more than a real one.
i · Why avoid itTwo lines, no filler
Useful when the other hand is genuinely heavy. Overused in business writing, where it manufactures symmetry between a strong point and a weak objection. "However," "conversely," or just the contrast itself often serves better.
ii · Before & afterDrop-in demo
Before
Growth is slowing. On the other hand, margin is up.
After
Growth is slowing; margin, however, is up.
iii · The alternatives4 ways out
- 01However neutral
plain contrast
Growth is slowing; however, margin rose.
- 02Conversely formal
symmetric pivot
Conversely, margin rose.
- 03By contrast neutral
explicit comparison
By contrast, margin rose.
- 04Yet neutral
brief pivot
Growth slowed, yet margin rose.
iv · Brew tipKeep this one
If only one hand is doing real work, don't invent the other.