Notwithstanding means “in spite of” or “despite.” When something happens notwithstanding an obstacle or rule, it happens anyway, even though you might expect that obstacle to prevent it.

If a soccer game continues notwithstanding the light rain, the teams keep playing despite the weather. When a teacher says “notwithstanding the fire drill, we still need to finish this lesson,” she means the interruption won't stop the class from completing its work.

The word often appears in formal writing and legal documents. A law might say that “notwithstanding any other regulation,” a certain rule applies, meaning this rule works even if other rules seem to contradict it. You might see it at the beginning of a sentence: “Notwithstanding his fear of heights, Marcus climbed to the top of the rock wall.”

While despite and in spite of mean essentially the same thing, notwithstanding sounds more formal and official. You're more likely to encounter it in written instructions, contracts, or historical documents than in everyday conversation. It's a way of saying that something powerful or important enough pushes through whatever stands in its way.