all but

Idioms  

1. Almost, nearly, as in I've all but finished the book. This expression was used by Andrew Marvell in “Thoughts in a Garden”: “Society is all but rude, To this delicious solitude.” [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

all but

Despite her disappointment, this was her 12th senior international medal and she continues to progress her times, lowering her personal best in all but her injury-devastated 2025 season across the past four years.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Diana later withdrew all but two of its board nominees, and Genco shareholders voted against those candidates at a shareholder meeting in June, Genco has said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Not only does this grant Bonta VIP access to the moral highground, it all but negates Ellison’s recent New York Times guest essay.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Many weren’t sure they wanted children at all but wanted to leave the possibility open—with the full knowledge that egg freezing is far from any sort of guarantee.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

We were not heading toward the outside entrance at all, but deeper into the maze of prison passageways.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• about
• approximately
• around
• essentially
• most
• much
• practically
• relatively
• roughly
• virtually