all but present

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but present" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is almost there or nearly present, but not quite. Example: "The team was all but present at the meeting, with only a few members missing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Are they not selected at all, but present transiently and/or at low frequencies?

Nature

But Mr. Dalton, a founding editor of Rolling Stone, dates back so far in Dylan watching that he was all but present at the creation.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Montero, 21, remains a prized prospect, but he seems to have failed to capitalize on an opportunity that the Yankees all but presented him three weeks ago.

The New York Times - Sports

The isomer 19C is the isomer Si19 which has the smallest size and dipole moment of all but presents the highest ovality (see numerical data in Table 1).

Nanoscale Research Letters

Third, in some essays, a significant portion of the argument is not attributed to Mozi at all, but presented in a narrator's voice, with only occasional citations of Mozi's words.

SEP

RD207 (Rv2815c-Rv2820c) was deleted in all Beijing isolates, but present in all non-Beijing isolates, except TB21.

Plosone

However, no regions fulfilled the criteria of being absent in all LESA isolates but present in all other isolates.

Genome Biology and Evolution

We included second order interaction terms in all statistical analyses, but present only significant interactions.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

It is absent from the non-human primates, but present in all the human subjects analyzed.

Plosone

At baseline, the patient had normal liver and renal functions and was euglycemic at all times, but presented with hyperinsulinemia before treatment.

Plosone

One colon was diploid all through, but presented multiple sites of dysplasia.

BMC Gastroenterology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but present" to convey that something is nearly, but not completely, in a particular state or location. This phrase works well when you want to express a condition that is just short of being fully realized.

Common error

Avoid using "all but present" when you mean something is completely absent or entirely different. The phrase implies a high degree of approximation, not complete absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but present" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a state that is close to being fully realized. It modifies a noun or pronoun by specifying the extent or degree of presence. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "all but present" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to indicate that something is nearly or almost present. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, including news, science, and academia. While it conveys a sense of approximation, it's crucial to avoid using it when complete absence is meant. Alternatives like "virtually present" or "almost present" can be used to achieve a similar effect. This phrase is a valuable tool for expressing conditions that are just short of being fully realized.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually present

Replaces "all but" with "virtually", emphasizing the near or almost complete presence.

practically present

Uses "practically" instead of "all but", highlighting the realistic or functional presence.

almost present

A more direct synonym, replacing "all but" with "almost" for simplicity.

nearly present

Substitutes "all but" with "nearly", indicating a close proximity to being present.

essentially present

Emphasizes that the presence is fundamental or key, close to being fully there.

for all intents and purposes present

A more formal phrase suggesting that presence is recognized in effect, if not entirely in reality.

tantamount to being present

Indicates that the situation is equivalent to being present, though not literally.

as good as present

An informal way of saying something is effectively present.

all but there

Uses "there" to indicate nearness.

just shy of present

Indicates that something is slightly short of being present.

FAQs

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

You can use "all but present" to indicate that something is almost, but not quite, in a certain state or location. For example, "The agreement was "virtually finalized", with only minor details left to iron out".

What does "all but present" mean?

The phrase "all but present" means nearly or almost present. It suggests that something is very close to being fully present but falls slightly short.

What are some alternatives to "all but present"?

Some alternatives include "virtually present", "practically present", or "almost present". These phrases convey a similar meaning of near or almost complete presence.

Is "all but present" formal or informal?

"All but present" is generally considered a neutral phrase suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding language and the specific situation.