The word "however" is a conjunction used to introduce a contrast or exception to a statement. It helps to show that what follows differs from or contradicts what has been previously mentioned. For example, in the sentence "The weather was sunny; however, it was still cold," "however" indicates that despite the sunny weather, the temperature was low. In writing, "however" can also be used to transition between ideas, making the text clearer and more cohesive. It often appears at the beginning of a sentence or after a semicolon. For instance, "I wanted to go for a walk; however, it started to rain." Here, "however" signals a change in plans due to the rain.