almost no exceptions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost no exceptions" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that there are very few instances where a rule or statement does not apply. Example: "The policy applies to all employees, with almost no exceptions for remote workers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

With almost no exceptions, successful U.S. presidents have come from politics or the military.

The New York Times

America allows almost no exceptions to the first amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech.

The Economist

An associate professor of genetics at Yale University, Piero Rinaldo, testified to the Massachusetts panel on newborn screening that it affected about one baby in 10,000 and led to death 30percentto50percentcent of the time when a baby had its first crisis, "fatalities which would be prevented with almost no exceptions by simple dietary treatment and basic preventive measures".

The New York Times

History holds almost no exceptions to this.

Forbes

There were almost no exceptions to this case at any speed load combination.

Petroleum Science

One main finding emerges from this analysis: there are almost no exceptions to the higher male variance.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

I think there's almost no exception in the long and unhappy history of price controls.

The New Yorker

"Every single show, with almost no exception, had a song, or often several, that the singer hadn't delivered since the day they'd recorded it, forty of fifty years ago," Robinson added.

The New Yorker

Mr Trump was and remains an abnormal politician because he threatens changes that, with almost no exception, are genuinely destructive to American values and interests, not least to the interests of many of those white working-class voters who voted for him in the hope of change.

The Guardian - Opinion

These movers and shakers lead the way in terms of financial education and big ideas year after year, and with almost no exception.

Forbes

Amazingly, the best of the best schools, with almost no exception, answered the call.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost no exceptions" to clearly convey that a rule or statement is generally true, with very few cases where it does not apply. This phrase is useful in formal writing to establish a strong, nearly universal condition.

Common error

Avoid using "almost no exceptions" when there are actually a significant number of exceptions. If the exceptions are more than just a few isolated cases, it's better to use a phrase like "with some exceptions" or "generally applies".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost no exceptions" functions as a qualifier, modifying a statement to indicate that it is generally true but not absolutely universal. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s a correct and usable phrase. Examples show it used to describe rules, trends, or patterns that hold true in most instances.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

38%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "almost no exceptions" is a grammatically correct and commonly used qualifier to indicate that a statement is generally true with very few deviations. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this expression. Its frequency is classified as common, and it appears most frequently in news and media sources, followed by science. When writing, it's best practice to use it to convey a strong, nearly universal condition, while avoiding overstatement when exceptions are more than just a few isolated cases.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually no exceptions

Replaces "almost" with "virtually", indicating a near-complete absence of exceptions.

practically no exceptions

Similar to "virtually no exceptions", suggesting exceptions are negligible.

almost without exception

Slightly rephrases the original, focusing on the absence of exception rather than directly stating 'no exceptions'.

hardly any exceptions

Uses "hardly any" to express the scarcity of exceptions.

very few exceptions

Emphasizes the small number of exceptions.

scarcely any exceptions

Similar to "hardly any", indicating a minimal number of exceptions.

with rare exceptions

Highlights the rarity of exceptions.

next to no exceptions

Uses the idiomatic "next to no" to minimize the exceptions.

exceptions are minimal

Directly asserts that the exceptions are very few.

negligible exceptions

Focuses on the unimportance of the few exceptions that may exist.

FAQs

What does "almost no exceptions" mean?

The phrase "almost no exceptions" indicates that a statement or rule is true in nearly all cases, with very few deviations or cases where it doesn't apply.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "almost no exceptions"?

It's appropriate to use "almost no exceptions" when you want to emphasize that something is generally true, but you acknowledge that there might be a few rare cases where it isn't. It's useful in situations where you want to convey a strong sense of universality while still being accurate.

What are some alternatives to "almost no exceptions"?

Alternatives include "virtually no exceptions", "hardly any exceptions", or "very few exceptions". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "almost no exceptions" and "with no exceptions"?

Yes, "with no exceptions" implies that something is true in every single case, without any deviations. "Almost no exceptions" acknowledges that there might be a very small number of cases where it doesn't apply, making it a slightly more cautious and accurate statement in some situations.