all but secure

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but secure" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something is almost certain or guaranteed, but not completely so. Example: "The project is all but secure now that we have received the final approval from the board."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

A win over Northampton in their penultimate game would all but secure Port Vale's return to League One.

The Guardian - Sport

Newcastle managed their first win under Alan Shearer on Monday, a crucial 3-1 victoverover Middlesbrough, and another home win against Europe-chasing Fulham on Saturday could all but secure their survival.

Independent

City are buzzing after coming from behind to beat Swansea and ending Forest's record-breaking run, and a win for the Bluebirds would all but secure their play-off place, but Reading have won six and drawn two of their last nine.

The Guardian - Sport

They host Liechtenstein next, knowing victory will all but secure automatic qualification no matter what Greece do against Slovakia.

BBC

Instead, Norwich will all but secure their Premier League safety if they overcome Stoke at the Britannia Stadium next Saturday.

BBC

India, who remain top of Pool B with two wins from two games, face the United Arab Emirates in Perth on Sunday, when victory will all but secure their place in the quarter-finals.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

Arsenal face Sunderland on Wednesday knowing a point will all-but secure third place in the Premier League.

BBC

They knew a win would all-but secure them a place in the play-offs but, bar a Fortune header against the bar, it was the hosts on top.

BBC

Hull KR fought back from behind to beat Wakefield and all-but secure their Super League status.

BBC

Not that England were unduly worried: Kevin Pietersen made a solid 33 runs from 40 balls to all-but-secure the win before he lobbed a Singh doosra back to the bowler.

The Guardian - Sport

Blagg, from Leeds, expressed her relief after taking her first 3m individual British title, and all-but securing a place on Team England with a winning total of 334.8.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but secure" to convey a high degree of confidence in an outcome, but acknowledge that a slight possibility of failure or change still exists. It is useful when you want to avoid making an absolute guarantee.

Common error

Avoid using "all but secure" when the outcome is already completely certain. Reserve it for situations where there's a very small, but non-zero, chance of a different result.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but secure" functions as an intensifying qualifier. It modifies a verb or noun to indicate that an action or state is almost certain or complete. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "all but secure" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that indicates a high degree of probability or near certainty, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as an intensifying qualifier, adding nuance to statements by acknowledging a small remaining chance of an alternative outcome. The phrase is most frequently found in news and media contexts, maintaining a neutral tone appropriate for general communication. When writing, it's best to use "all but secure" to convey confidence without making an absolute guarantee, and to avoid using it when the outcome is already completely certain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually certain

Emphasizes the high degree of probability, nearly equivalent to certainty.

virtually guaranteed

Shares a similar meaning with virtually certain, emphasizing near certainty.

almost guaranteed

Highlights the strong likelihood of something occurring, close to a guarantee.

practically assured

Indicates that something is nearly guaranteed based on the current circumstances.

as good as certain

Expresses a level of confidence that is just shy of absolute certainty.

effectively guaranteed

Similar to almost guaranteed, but with a slightly more formal tone.

in effect secured

Indicates the current situation has the same outcome of something being secured.

tantamount to securing

Implies that the actions taken are equivalent in effect to securing something.

nearly clinched

Suggests that the final step of securing something is very close to being completed.

for all intents and purposes secured

The longer phrase emphasizes that the result is considered secured with the exception of very specific, improbable circumstances.

FAQs

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

You can use "all but secure" to describe a situation where the outcome is highly probable but not yet 100% guaranteed. For example, "With this win, they have "all but secured" their place in the finals".

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

You can use alternatives like "virtually certain", "almost guaranteed", or "practically assured" depending on the specific context.

Is "all but secured" grammatically correct?

Yes, "all but secured" is grammatically correct. It is the past participle form of the phrase and is used to describe something that has reached the state of being nearly secured.

What's the difference between "all but secure" and "effectively guaranteed"?

"All but secure" suggests a very high probability with a slight chance of failure, while "effectively guaranteed" implies that for all practical purposes, the outcome is already certain, even if a formal guarantee isn't in place.