anything but

Idioms  

1. By no means, not at all, as in He is anything but ambitious for a promotion. William Wordsworth in his long poem, The Prelude (1805–1806), wrote: “Grief call it not, 'twas anything but that.”

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Example Sentences

“However, the coast is anything but clear,” he wrote.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

The Luce "looks like anything but a car from the prancing horse", he added.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Mr. Pratt, by contrast, says: “I’m not going to have a word to say about anything but L.A.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

It’s one of those cooking tricks that seems random and like it doesn’t actually add anything but immediately earns a permanent place in your rotation once you try it.

From Salon • May 28, 2026

Often she was too weak to do anything but sit by the window and look longingly out at the maple tree in the courtyard.

From "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr