but for

Idioms  

1. Except for, were it not for. For example, But for the afternoon shower, it was a perfect day, or But for the children, they would have gotten a divorce long ago. [c. 1200]

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Example Sentences

And with labor demand cooling and inflation appearing to drift back toward the Fed’s target but for tariff-driven increases, interest rates looked restrictive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

"This kind of activity enriches them a great deal, not only visually for the audience but for them as well," he said.

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

With time, it’s supposed to go away, but for me, it was growing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

We all eat to live, but for some it’s truly a passion.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026

Only now I suspected Gran knew more than she let on, but for some reason, she wanted to keep it from me.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff