all but never

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but never" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you want to express that something happens almost all the time, except for rare instances. Example: "He is all but never late to meetings, always arriving on time."

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

He will be missed by all but never forgotten.

The New York Times

She will be missed by all but never forgotten.

The New York Times

President Obama all but never answers questions on the rope line, sometimes because of security concerns, and he holds news conferences infrequently.

The New York Times

There were no ribald cheers when the first fork of lightning lit up the skies, because that would have been too defeatist, and it was only the second day after all, but never can the sight of two Australian batsmen walking off for bad light have been occasion for such contentment.

The Guardian - Sport

Palin "does it all," but never in a way that's emasculating.

Huffington Post

It wasn't a joke at all, but never in a million years did I think we'd be at this stage.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

His physical presence has vanished into a mystery we will all follow but never fully understand.

The New York Times

Last season, U.S.C. was in the top 10 all season, but never did get to No. 1.

The New York Times - Sports

The waiter kept asking if everything were all right but never noticed that the bread basket was empty.

The New York Times

As a player, he made 17 appearances for the All Blacks but never played in a Test match.

BBC

I was a good all-rounder but never really shone.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "all but never", ensure the context is clear to avoid misinterpretation. Consider whether a more common alternative like "almost never" would be more effective.

Common error

Relying too heavily on "all but never" can make your writing sound awkward. Vary your language by using synonyms like "almost never", "rarely", or "hardly ever" for a smoother flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but never" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb to indicate a very low frequency of an action or event. Although recognized, Ludwig AI highlights that is not standard in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Wiki

14%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "all but never" is used to express that something almost never happens, although Ludwig AI flags it as non-standard. While it's understandable, alternatives like "almost never", "practically never", and "rarely" are generally preferred for clarity and grammatical correctness. Its appearance in various sources, including news and media, suggests a neutral register, but writers should use it judiciously to avoid awkwardness or misinterpretation. The phrase's function is to emphasize the infrequency of an event, conveying a sense of high improbability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost never

Direct synonym indicating very rare occurrence.

practically never

Similar to 'almost never', emphasizing the infrequency.

hardly ever

Indicates a low frequency of occurrence.

scarcely ever

Emphasizes the rarity of an event.

rarely

A more concise way to express infrequent occurrence.

infrequently

Formal synonym for 'rarely'.

seldom

An older, slightly more formal term for 'rarely'.

almost never happens

Expresses the low probability of something occurring.

virtually never

Similar to 'almost never', indicating a very low chance.

next to never

Informal way to say something almost never happens.

FAQs

What does "all but never" mean?

The phrase "all but never" means almost never or very rarely. It indicates that something happens only in exceptional circumstances.

How can I use "all but never" in a sentence?

You can use "all but never" to emphasize the infrequency of an event, for example: "He is "almost never" late to meetings."

What are some alternatives to "all but never"?

Alternatives include "almost never", "practically never", or "hardly ever", depending on the desired emphasis and formality.

Is "all but never" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "all but never" is not a standard or widely accepted idiom. Using alternatives like "almost never" or "rarely" is generally preferred for clarity and grammatical correctness.