up to but not including

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "up to but not including" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when specifying a range of values or limits, particularly in contexts like dates, numbers, or time periods. For example, "The event is open to participants aged 18 up to but not including 25." Alternative expressions include "up to but excluding" and "up to, excluding."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

"To: Up to but not including.

The New York Times

Covers A1-A3, labs 1-5, lectupes up to but not including recursion.

Cornell University

reads self.fileContents up to, but not including, the next position of x00.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

According to Carnegie Hill Neighbors, the neighborhood extends east from Fifth Avenue up to (but not including) Third Avenue.

The New York Times

It then turns south, to 96th Street, then east again, up to but not including Third Avenue.

The New York Times

Within 5km of the Libya border area from north of Dehiba, up to but not including the Ras Ajdir border crossing.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

A line is being drawn under the activities of the EU up to, but not quite including, monetary union.

The Economist

In the computer industry, for example, the dominant architecture in every generation of computing up to (but not yet including) smartphones evolved from relatively closed to more modular.

Forbes

Suppose that observation data are available up to time t, but not including t.

Earth, Planets and Space

Night-time parking is restricted to vehicles with shopper's permits or resident-specific guest passes from Center Street to, but not including Bluebird Canyon Drive, and up from Glenneyre Street to, but not including Carmelita Street.

Los Angeles Times

Nighttime parking in the area is now restricted to vehicles with shopper's permits or residence-specific guest passes from Center Street to, but not including, Bluebird Canyon Drive, and up from Glenneyre Street to, but not including, Carmelita Street.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, use this phrase to define a half-open interval, such as an age range or a specific genomic sequence boundary.

Common error

Do not use "up to but not including" when the limit is already inherently exclusive in that context, as it may lead to wordy prose. Conversely, avoid using simply "up to" in critical contracts where it might be misinterpreted as being inclusive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "up to but not including" serves as a complex prepositional phrase that defines an exclusive upper limit. Based on data from Ludwig, it functions as a boundary marker in both physical, temporal and abstract ranges. It explicitly negates the inclusion of the final coordinate in a sequence.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "up to but not including" is an essential tool for writers who prioritize precision over brevity. According to Ludwig AI, it is standard in scientific research to define ranges (such as ages or genomic positions) and in journalism to describe geographic or temporal limits. While simpler alternatives like "before" or "excluding" exist, this specific construction is the gold standard for avoiding ambiguity in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

up to but excluding

Uses more formal vocabulary to indicate the boundary point is not part of the set.

up to, excluding

A punctuated variation often found in technical lists.

until but not including

Specific to temporal contexts like dates and times.

up to but not through

Emphasizes that the limit represents a stopping point rather than a passage.

exclusive of

A more concise and formal way to indicate non-inclusion.

less than

A mathematical term indicating the value must be strictly smaller.

prior to

Often used for time or order to imply reaching the point but stopping before it.

up to and including

The logical opposite, used when the limit point should be counted.

immediately before

Focuses on the proximity to the exclusion point.

short of

Less formal, often used for distances or qualitative limits.

FAQs

What is the difference between "up to" and "up to but not including"?

While "up to" is often ambiguous and can be interpreted as either inclusive or exclusive, "up to but not including" explicitly states that the final point is omitted from the range.

Can I say "up to but excluding" instead?

Yes, you can use "up to but excluding" as a perfectly interchangeable and slightly more concise formal alternative.

Is "up to but not including" formal enough for a legal contract?

Absolutely. It is one of the preferred phrases in legal and technical writing because it eliminates the risk of boundary disputes.

When should I use "up to and including"?

You should use "up to and including" when the boundary point is intended to be part of the selection or time period.