everything else but

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "everything else but" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are comparing two similar but not identical things. For example, "I'm interested in learning about economics and finance, but everything else but those two subjects I'm not so sure about."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This work corroborates Tobler's first law of geography "Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things" but also provides practical guidance.

Journal of Transport Geography

They used everything else, but not a No. 2 pencil.

The New York Times

I've bet on everything else but not on baseball".

The New York Times - Sports

We discuss almost everything else, but not our contraception options.

The Guardian

We have money for everything else, but not these kids".

The New York Times

"You know — everything else!" "But you've made the room just lovely," the woman said.

The New Yorker

And then, we have 100% on everything else, but notably loans, like commercial loans to businesses, all right?

Yale University

But he sums all this up as having "done everything else" but write a book.

The Guardian - Books

As Congressional support sank since then, the agency has cut everything else but new drug reviews.

The New York Times - Health

"The difficult thing is to discard everything else but 'Hamlet,' " he said.

The New York Times

"I really think parents will get rid of everything else but education for their children," she said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "everything else but" when you want to emphasize the exception to a general statement or category. It clearly signals that you are considering a wide range of possibilities, but excluding specific items or conditions.

Common error

While "everything else but" is widely understood, it may sound slightly informal in certain professional or academic settings. Consider using more formal alternatives like "with the exception of" or "excluding" to maintain a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "everything else but" functions as a prepositional phrase used to introduce an exception or exclusion to a general statement. Ludwig AI indicates that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "everything else but" is a common and grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to introduce exceptions. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While its register is generally neutral, more formal alternatives like "with the exception of" may be preferable in professional or academic contexts. As evidenced by Ludwig's examples, the phrase is frequently found in news, scientific, and academic sources, making it a versatile tool for clearly defining exclusions in various types of writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all except

Emphasizes the exclusion of something from a larger group.

everything excluding

Directly states that everything is included apart from what follows.

all other than

Highlights the difference by specifying what is not included.

everything apart from

Similar to "all except" but with a slightly different structure.

everything besides

Indicates what is included in addition to everything else.

save for

A more formal way of saying "except for".

with the exception of

A formal phrase that clearly indicates an exception.

excluding only

Focuses on the specific exclusion of one item.

other than

Simple and direct way to express an exception.

but not

Highlights what is specifically not included.

FAQs

How can I use "everything else but" in a sentence?

Use "everything else but" to indicate that you are including all items or possibilities except for a specific one. For example, "I enjoy all sports, "everything else but" golf" means you like all sports except golf.

What can I say instead of "everything else but"?

You can use alternatives like "all except", "everything excluding", or "with the exception of" depending on the context. These alternatives provide similar meanings but may vary in formality.

Which is correct, "everything else but" or "everything else except"?

Both "everything else but" and "everything else except" are grammatically correct and widely used. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference or the specific context in your writing.

What's the difference between "everything else but" and "everything else besides"?

"Everything else but" indicates exclusion, meaning all items are included except for the one mentioned. "Everything else besides" can imply either exclusion or addition, depending on the context, making it slightly less precise than ""everything else but"".