all but unable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but unable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone is almost completely unable to do something, implying a very high degree of inability. Example: "After the accident, she was all but unable to walk without assistance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Multiple bouts of pneumonia in 2014 have left him all but unable to speak, and completely unable to eat.

The New Yorker

As each assumed her position, en garde, he sat gazing down, as though brooding in prayer, all but unable to watch.

The New Yorker

Standing on Vesey Street, I was all but unable to get the photos to load; they crept in at a snail's pace until I gave up in frustration.

The New York Times

Because of militant attacks, the PPP has been all but unable to campaign for the general elections due on 11 May.

BBC

Though smugglers say they're all but unable to bribe border guards, they do work with informants who identity the whereabouts of patrols.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

There is a special horror about the prospect of spending your last years shuffling down the perennially unfamiliar corridors of some institution in a demented fog, your diaper hanging loose, being treated like a child by your children, watching TV all day but unable to follow even the most simpleminded propaganda on Fox News or the most facile plot twist of "Downton Abbey".

The New Yorker

Table  1 presents the characteristics of patients.> -wrap-foot> a ECX: Epirubicin-Cisplatin-Capecitabine b Performance status 0 = Fully active, able to carry on all pre-disease performance / 1 = Restricted in physically strenuous activity but ambulatory and able to carry out work of a light or sedentary nature 2 = Ambulatory and capable of all selfcare but unable to carry out any work activities.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

> -wrap-foot> a : p for significance b :median ± inter-quartile range c Performance status 0 = Fully active, able to carry on all pre-disease performance / 1 = Restricted in physically strenuous activity but ambulatory and able to carry out work of a light or sedentary nature 2 = Ambulatory and capable of all selfcare but unable to carry out any work activities.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

In this study we have also included NSCLC patients with an ECOG grade of 0 2 that are capable of all self-care but unable to carry out any work activities and have more than 50% of waking hours.

BMC Clinical Pathology

Based on our results, we believe that Fe responses in etiolated wild-type seedlings and hmr mutants are partly uncoupled from the clock, while they are either not coupled to the clock at all or coupled but unable to transduce the information in hy6 and phyAphyB seedlings if the signal signifies Fe deficiency.

EMBO Journal

*ECOG performance status: 0 = fully active, able to carry on all pre-disease performance without restriction; 1 = restricted in physically strenuous activity but ambulatory and able to carry out work of a light or sedentary nature, e.g., light housework, office work; 2 = ambulatory and capable of all self-care but unable to carry out any work activities; up and about more than 50% of waking hours.

BMC Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but unable" when you want to emphasize that someone is in a condition that is extremely close to being completely unable to perform a specific action or task.

Common error

Avoid using "all but unable" when the subject retains a significant degree of capability. The phrase implies a near-total lack of ability, so ensure this accurately reflects the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but unable" functions as an intensifier combined with an adjective, creating an adjectival phrase. It modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating a state that is extremely close to complete inability, similar to what Ludwig AI suggests.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "all but unable" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English, which, according to Ludwig AI, describes a situation where someone is almost completely unable to do something. It appears with low frequency across various source types, with a stronger presence in "News & Media" and "Science". When using "all but unable", be mindful of the intensity it conveys, as it signifies a near-total lack of ability. Similar alternatives include "virtually incapable", "practically powerless", and "almost incapable".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually incapable

Changes the qualifier to "virtually", emphasizing the near-total lack of ability.

practically powerless

Replaces "unable" with "powerless", shifting focus to a lack of power or control.

almost incapable

Uses "almost" instead of "all but", providing a slightly less emphatic tone.

nearly incompetent

Substitutes "unable" with "incompetent", stressing a lack of required skills or qualifications.

effectively unable

Emphasizes the actual result of being unable, focusing on the outcome.

as good as unable

Uses an idiomatic comparison to indicate a condition very close to being unable.

tantamount to incapable

Presents the inability as equivalent to being incapable, using a more formal tone.

scarcely capable

Highlights the minimal capacity to perform, suggesting significant difficulty.

hardly able

Uses simpler wording to convey difficulty in being able to do something.

with great difficulty

Shifts the focus from inability to the significant challenge involved.

FAQs

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

Use "all but unable" to describe a situation where someone is almost completely incapable of doing something. For example, "After the injury, he was "all but unable" to walk."

What phrases are similar to "all but unable"?

Alternatives include "virtually incapable", "practically powerless", or "almost incapable". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "all but unable" formal or informal?

"All but unable" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It can be used in news articles, academic papers, and everyday conversation.

What's the difference between "almost unable" and "all but unable"?

"All but unable" implies a slightly stronger degree of inability compared to "almost unable". "All but" suggests a condition that is extremely close to complete inability.