all but safe

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but safe" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something is almost or nearly safe, but not completely so. Example: "The bridge was all but safe after the recent repairs, but engineers still advised caution."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

With Queens Park Rangers due here on the last day of the season, Leicester look all but safe.

The Guardian - Sport

Fortunately for the casual observer, as well as the partisan, Swansea are all but safe for another year after their first win in 10.

The Guardian - Sport

West Ham have beaten Wigan 3-2 are all all but safe – Burnley need to win their last three games, starting tomorrow against Liverpool, to catch them.

The Guardian - Sport

Ireland's final spot was all but safe before the 20-minute mark when McFadden broke through the Georgian defence to score.

The Guardian - Sport

A run like the three in a row against Chelsea, Manchester United and West Brom back in December round about now would see them all but safe.

The Guardian - Sport

The Ashes are all but safe for England.Australia, for all their apparent buoyancy having come tantalisingly close to winning the first Test, stand as much chance of getting back into this series now as Shane Watson has of entering into a civil partnership with his captain, Michael Clarke.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"You all be safe," he said, but he was worried because they didn't know where they were going.

The New York Times

Yes, there are many European directives dealing with food safety (food additives, supplements, flavorings, production, labeling), yet when it comes to what is being served individually in both restaurants and collectivities it may all be safe to eat but are we, the client getting what we expect?

Huffington Post

Poverty rates in the District are higher than the national average, the public schools are infamously bad and all but one of the 10 safest neighbourhoods are in the north and west quadrants of the city.

BBC

In the capital markets, bond investors who embraced risk in good times have abandoned all but the safest of investments.

The New York Times

The cracks, the base boards, door jams, etc. should all be pretty safe but if any area you suspect is right out there in the open, make sure you monitor who's going near it.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but safe" when you want to express that something is nearly safe but not entirely, leaving room for unexpected possibilities. For example, "After the storm, the house was all but safe, but some roof repairs were still needed."

Common error

Avoid using "all but safe" when you intend to convey complete safety. The phrase implies a small degree of remaining risk, so choose stronger affirmations like "completely safe" or "entirely secure" when appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but safe" functions as an adverbial modifier, qualifying the state of being safe. It indicates a condition that is close to being safe, but not entirely so. Ludwig provides examples showing this usage in contexts where a situation is nearly, but not completely, secure.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Formal & Business

11%

Science

11%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "all but safe" is a grammatically sound adverbial modifier used to convey a state of near safety while acknowledging a degree of residual risk. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and provides diverse examples, primarily from news and media sources. It's important to note that this phrase does not equate to complete safety and should be used when conveying near certainty but not absolute assurance. Alternatives like "virtually secure" or "practically risk-free" can be used depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually secure

Emphasizes the practical aspect of security, implying a high degree of safety in almost all foreseeable situations.

practically risk-free

Focuses on the minimal risk involved, suggesting that potential dangers are negligible or highly improbable.

almost guaranteed

Highlights the high probability of a positive outcome, suggesting that failure is unlikely.

nearly certain

Indicates a high level of confidence in a particular outcome, but acknowledges the possibility of unforeseen circumstances.

as good as secure

Implies a high level of security, while still acknowledging a theoretical possibility of failure.

tantamount to safe

Suggests equivalence to being safe, nearly the same.

effectively safe

Highlights the functional aspect of safety, emphasizing that the situation is safe in practice if not entirely in theory.

for all intents and purposes safe

Emphasizes that, practically speaking, the situation can be considered safe despite any potential caveats.

just about safe

Indicates a condition of barely being safe. Is less strong of an affirmation.

on the safe side

Indicates the state of being safe, but still cautions to proceed cautiously and be vigilant.

FAQs

What does "all but safe" mean?

The phrase "all but safe" means that something is almost or nearly safe, but there's still a small element of risk or uncertainty involved. It's not a declaration of complete safety.

What can I say instead of "all but safe"?

You can use alternatives like "virtually secure", "practically risk-free", or "almost guaranteed" depending on the specific context and degree of certainty you want to convey.

Is "all but safe" the same as "completely safe"?

No, "all but safe" and "completely safe" are not the same. "All but safe" implies that there is still a small amount of risk, while "completely safe" suggests there is no risk at all.

How to use "all but safe" in a sentence?

Example: "The bridge was weakened after the earthquake, so even after the initial repairs, it was only "all but safe"." Another Example: "After implementing security protocols, the system was "all but safe", although vigilance was still necessary."