anybody except for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "anybody except for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a statement or action applies to all individuals except for a specific person or group. Example: "I would invite anybody except for those who have already declined the invitation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

I'm not hanging it on anybody except for myself".

The New York Times - Sports

I didn't know anybody except for the other u-19 player, Kelly Wilson.

The New York Times - Sports

GWINN: There isn't anybody except for Ryan who could have done this the way it had to be done.

The New Yorker

"AFTER a good dinner one can forgive anybody, except for slow servers," Oscar Wilde might have written were he to pen "A Woman of No Importance" today.

The Economist

Your living room — and it doesn't matter who "you" are, because "you" could be anybody, except for a handful of people like me — the living room you are most familiar with, in your own house, is (to me) inconceivably small, of course.

The New Yorker

According The New York Times, everybody who's anybody except for President Obama wants the U.S. to bomb Syria already.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

No? Neither does anybody else except the grieving families.

The New York Times

Not for us, not for the Afghans, not for anybody (except maybe al-Qaeda).

Huffington Post

I don't know who anybody is, except for Gary Busey".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

For one thing, he was calmer than anybody else (except for possibly Etta Froio, the eternally serene fashion editor).

The New York Times

Reanna Henshaw, 21, an art student and independent who was eating pancakes at the Friendly Toast in downtown Portsmouth, said, "I honestly don't know a lot about the other candidates, but I'll vote for pretty much anybody else except for Bush".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "anybody except for", ensure the exception is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, "I'll help anybody except for those who refuse to help themselves".

Common error

Avoid using "anybody except for" repeatedly in close proximity. Vary your sentence structure with alternatives like "excluding" or "everyone but" for better readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "anybody except for" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces an exception to a general statement. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It modifies a noun or pronoun by specifying who or what is not included in the statement.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "anybody except for" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to introduce an exception to a general statement. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's most frequently found in news and media contexts, with a neutral register suitable for various writing styles. While effective, varying your language with synonyms like "everyone but" or "excluding" can enhance readability. Be sure to use the phrase precisely to avoid any ambiguity. The examples found by Ludwig show that this phrase can convey precision in various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

anyone other than

Replaces "anybody" with "anyone" and restructures the phrase using "other than" to convey a similar meaning.

other than

Direct synonym that replaces "except for" with "other than".

everyone but

Uses "everyone" to encompass all individuals, then excludes specific individuals using "but".

no one besides

Employs a double negative to indicate the exclusion, using "no one" and "besides".

excluding

A more concise way to express the same idea, using a participle to indicate exclusion.

with the exception of

A more formal and explicit way to state the exclusion.

apart from

A more succinct alternative that emphasizes separation.

with the exclusion of

Very formal alternative that explicitly states the exclusion.

save for

An older, slightly more literary phrasing that conveys a similar meaning.

besides

A shorter, more informal synonym.

FAQs

How can I use "anybody except for" in a sentence?

Use "anybody except for" to indicate that something applies to everyone with a specific exclusion. Example: "The event is open to "anybody except for" members of the opposing team".

What's a formal way to say "anybody except for"?

A more formal alternative to "anybody except for" is "with the "exception of"". For example, "All employees are invited, with the exception of those on leave".

Is there a shorter way to say "anybody except for"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "excluding" or "everyone but" as shorter alternatives. For example, "Everyone but John is coming to the party".

What is the difference between "anybody except for" and "nobody except for"?

"Anybody except for" implies that something applies to everyone with a specific exclusion, while "nobody except for" means that something applies to no one with a specific inclusion. They have opposite meanings.