all but surrendered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but surrendered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has nearly or almost surrendered, but not completely. Example: "After months of fighting, the enemy forces all but surrendered, leaving only a small contingent to hold the line."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Politics

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The Romney and Gingrich campaigns appear to have all but surrendered the state.

The New York Times

Patrice Evra all but surrendered any claim to starting at left-back with a performance of dreadful negligence.

The Guardian - Sport

On Saturday night, it all but surrendered any hope of being the champion as it lost again, 3-0, at Valencia.

The New York Times - Sports

"For more than half a century, American foreign policy in the Middle East has all but surrendered U.S. national interests to Israel," she asserts.

The New York Times - Books

The most obvious are the duo of offensive and defensive savants: Carmelo Anthony, the N.B.A.'s leading scorer, and Tyson Chandler, whose talent on the other end has revitalized a franchise that had all but surrendered the opposing basket.

The New York Times - Sports

Under pressure from conservatives to help Trump deliver on a signature campaign promise and unable to persuade him to avert the partial government shutdown, these lawmakers have all but surrendered to the president's will.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Malaysiaia's governing coalition, which has run this multiracial country without any major challenges for the past four decades, suffered a string of election defeats on Saturday, losing control of three major states and all but surrendering urban areas to the opposition.

The New York Times

Liverpool drew 3-3 at Crystal Palace on Monday night to all but surrender the title to Manchester City.

BBC

He loved to travel and visited all 50 states and five continents, but surrendered his passport once his granddaughters arrived.

The New York Times

But surrendered to whom?

The New Yorker

Black Hawk escaped but surrendered shortly thereafter.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but surrendered" when you want to convey that something is extremely close to being surrendered, but not quite entirely. It adds a nuanced perspective that acknowledges the possibility of a turnaround, however slim.

Common error

Avoid using "all but surrendered" when you mean "completely surrendered". The phrase specifically implies that there's a slight possibility, however improbable, that surrender hasn't fully occurred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but surrendered" functions as a modifier, indicating a state that is very close to being fully surrendered. As shown by Ludwig, it suggests something is nearly complete but not entirely so.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sports

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "all but surrendered" is a phrase used to describe a situation that is extremely close to surrender, yet not fully complete. Ludwig's AI confirms its grammatical correctness and notes its common usage in various contexts. While synonyms like "virtually given up" or "practically conceded" exist, they don't always capture the same nuance of a lingering possibility. The phrase is best used when acknowledging the potential for a turnaround, however slim. Predominantly found in news and media, mastering the use of "all but surrendered" enhances your writing by adding a layer of subtlety and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually given up

Emphasizes the sense of being almost entirely relinquished or abandoned.

practically conceded

Highlights the aspect of acknowledging defeat or yielding a point.

nearly relinquished

Focuses on the action of giving up control or possession.

almost abandoned

Stresses the idea of leaving something behind, with little intention of returning.

effectively ceded

Implies a transfer of power or control, often in a formal or official manner.

in effect yielded

Similar to 'effectively ceded', but with a slightly stronger connotation of submission.

tantamount to surrendering

Indicates something is equivalent in its effect to surrendering.

for all intents and purposes surrendered

Highlights that the action might not be a surrender by definition, but with similar effect.

came close to giving up

Expresses how near of giving up on something someone or something was.

may as well have surrendered

Suggests that the outcome is similar to a formal surrender, despite not being explicitly stated.

FAQs

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

You can use "all but surrendered" to indicate that someone or something has almost given up, like in the sentence "After a series of defeats, the team had "all but surrendered" their hopes of winning the championship".

What's a synonym for "all but surrendered"?

Alternatives for "all but surrendered" include "virtually given up", "practically conceded", or "nearly relinquished", each conveying a slightly different emphasis on the act of giving up.

Is it correct to say "all but surrender" instead of "all but surrendered"?

While "all but surrender" might be grammatically correct in certain contexts, it changes the meaning. "All but surrendered" implies a state close to giving up, whereas "all but surrender" suggests an action that almost leads to giving up.

What is the difference between "all but surrendered" and "completely surrendered"?

"All but surrendered" means 'almost surrendered' or 'very nearly surrendered', suggesting a small chance remains. "Completely surrendered" means there is no chance left; it's a full and final capitulation.