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Synonyms

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]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

All but two of the employees had worked at Complete for a decade or more.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

All but two of the S&P 500’s sectors had come into this week up for the year, making many stocks vulnerable to earnings reports that were anything short of spotless.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

All but one of the countries have large Catholic populations, but he has chosen a non-Catholic country - Algeria - as his first stop, as it holds deep significance for him.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

All but one of his five children had left the island because they didn’t see a future there.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

All but seven of the pods are already occupied.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.