doing everything but

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "doing everything but" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that someone is doing all actions except for one specific thing. Example: "She was doing everything but cleaning the house, from cooking to organizing the garage."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

45 human-written examples

But I kept doing everything BUT the software project.

TechCrunch

They are doing everything but hurling dishware at each other.

The New York Times

He was doing everything but running a football team.

The New York Times - Sports

What's ironic is that the teachers are doing everything but teaching to the tests.

The New York Times

Mr Bush, on the other hand, spent his time doing everything but burnishing his credentials.

The Economist

"I'd like to keep on doing everything, but I can't afford to write for free.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

15 human-written examples

That version of rehab did everything BUT rehab her.

Huffington Post

Messi did everything but score.

The Guardian - Sport

Llorente did everything but score.

The Guardian - Sport

"He did everything but dig the well.

The New York Times - Food

Cleveland did everything but win.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "doing everything but" to create a vivid picture of a situation where many actions are being performed, but one crucial action is missing or being avoided. This can add humor or highlight a problem.

Common error

Ensure the "everything" you refer to is clearly defined within the context. Avoid using it vaguely, as this can lead to confusion about what is actually being done.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "doing everything but" functions as a modifier, indicating that a subject is engaged in numerous activities while specifically avoiding one particular action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable expression. Examples show its use in describing various scenarios.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "doing everything but" is a versatile and grammatically correct expression used to indicate that someone is performing numerous actions while avoiding one specific action. As Ludwig AI highlights, it’s a functional and common phrase, especially in news and media contexts. While its primary function is to emphasize an exception, its communicative purpose often includes conveying irony or frustration. For more formal settings, alternatives like "doing all except" might be more appropriate. Remember to ensure clarity in what "everything" refers to to avoid any ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

doing all except

Focuses on exclusion using "except" instead of "but".

doing everything apart from

Uses "apart from" to indicate the exception.

doing nearly everything but

Adds "nearly" to soften the exclusion.

managing all areas but

Replaces "doing" with "managing" suggesting more formal setting.

handling everything save for

Replaces "doing" with "handling" and "but" with "save for", creating a more formal tone.

taking care of everything short of

Uses "taking care of" to mean doing, and "short of" to mean except.

executing everything excluding

Replaces "doing" with "executing" and "but" with "excluding", creating a formal tone.

attending to everything with the exception of

More verbose, emphasizing the exception with "with the exception of".

accomplishing everything other than

Replaces "doing" with "accomplishing" and "but" with "other than", suggesting a sense of achievement.

performing all duties with omission of

Highly formal and emphasizes the omitted task.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "doing everything but" to sound more formal?

You can use phrases like "doing all except", "attending to everything with the exception of", or "executing everything excluding" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "doing everything but"?

Yes, "doing everything but" is grammatically correct and widely used. It functions as a conjunction phrase, indicating that all actions are being performed except for one specific action.

What does "doing everything but" imply?

It implies that a lot of effort or activity is happening, but a key or expected action is being avoided or not completed. The phrase often carries a sense of irony or frustration.

What's the difference between "doing everything but" and "doing nothing but"?

"Doing everything but" means performing all actions except one, while "doing nothing but" means only performing one action and avoiding all others. They have opposite meanings.