all but

USAGE SUMMARY

"all but" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
It is used to refer to something that is nearly or almost the case, but not quite. For example: "I was all but ready to leave when the phone rang."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

All but 2? All but 1? All?

The New York Times

(b) All but one.

The Economist

Fighting can all but stop.

The New York Times

Problem all but solved.

The New York Times

Republicans all but laughed.

The New York Times

Construction all but stopped.

The New Yorker

Kidnappings all but ceased.

The New York Times

Emphasis on "all but".

The New York Times

All but the drinking.

The New Yorker

All but two won.

The New York Times

All but one.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but" to express that something is very close to being true or complete, adding a nuance of almost certainty without full realization. This is particularly effective in descriptive or narrative writing.

Common error

Avoid using "all but" when you mean something is completely finished. "All but" implies near completion, not total completion. For example, saying "The project is all but finished" suggests it's 99% done, not 100%.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but" primarily functions as an adverbial modifier. According to Ludwig AI, it indicates that something is nearly or almost the case. The examples show it modifying verbs or adjectives to express a high degree of approximation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

13%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "all but" is a common and versatile adverbial phrase used to express that something is nearly or almost the case. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and acceptability in written English. It appears most frequently in news and media contexts, indicating its widespread use in reporting and commentary. While generally neutral in register, it's important to note that it conveys near completion rather than actual completion. Understanding this nuance helps avoid misinterpretations in writing. Related phrases such as "almost entirely" and "practically" can be used as alternatives, depending on the desired level of emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Almost entirely

Emphasizes the extent to which something is nearly complete or true, highlighting approximation.

Practically

Indicates that something is virtually or nearly the case.

Nearly

Signifies that something is very close to being completely true or done.

Virtually

Indicates something is so close to being true that the difference is negligible.

Just about

Suggests a state very close to completion or realization.

With the exception of

Highlights the exclusion of a specific item or case.

Apart from

Similar to "with the exception of", it denotes an element being excluded.

Almost without exception

Indicates a near-universal condition with very few exceptions.

For the most part

Suggests a general condition that holds true in most instances.

Save for

A more formal way of saying "except for", indicating an exclusion.

FAQs

How can I use "all but" in a sentence?

Use "all but" to indicate that something is nearly or almost the case. For instance, "The game was "all but over" when the star player scored the winning goal".

What's a synonym for "all but"?

A synonym for "all but" is "almost". For example, "He was "almost certain" he would win" is similar to "He was all but certain he would win".

Is it correct to say "all but one"?

Yes, it's correct. "All but one" means everyone or everything except for one. An example would be, "All except one of the students passed the exam".

What's the difference between "all but" and "anything but"?

"All but" means nearly or almost, while "anything but" means definitely not. Saying "He was "anything but happy"" indicates he was certainly not happy, the opposite of the meaning conveyed by "all but".