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but

¹

[ buht; unstressed buht ]

/ bʌt; unstressed bət /

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See synonyms for but on Thesaurus.com

conjunction

on the contrary; yet: My brother went, but I did not.

except; save: She was so overcome with grief she could do nothing but weep.

unless; if not; except that (followed by a clause, often with that expressed): Nothing would do but that I should come in.

without the circumstance that: It never rains but it pours.

otherwise than: There is no hope but by prayer.

that (used especially after doubt, deny, etc., with a negative): I don't doubt but he will do it.

who not; that not: No leaders worthy of the name ever existed but they were optimists.

(used as an intensifier to introduce an exclamatory expression): But she's beautiful!

Informal. than: It no sooner started raining but it stopped.

preposition

with the exception of; except; save: No one replied but me.

adverb

only; just: There is but one God.

noun

buts, reservations or objections: You'll do as you're told, no buts about it.

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Idioms about but

but for, except for; were it not for: But for the excessive humidity, it might have been a pleasant day.

but what. what (def. 25).

Origin of but

¹

before 900; Middle English buten,Old English būtan for phrase be ūtan on the outside, without. See by, out

synonym study for but

2. See except¹.

grammar notes for but

1. But, like and, is a common transitional word and often begins sentences. When it is used in the middle of a sentence as a coordinating conjunction like and or so, it is not followed by a comma unless the comma is one of a pair setting off a parenthetical expression: His political affiliations make no difference, but his lack of ethics does. The cast is nearly complete, but, our efforts notwithstanding, we lack a star. See also and, so¹.
2, 10. When but is understood as a conjunction and the pronoun following it is understood as the subject of an incompletely expressed clause, the pronoun is in the subjective case: Everyone lost faith in the plan but she ( did not lose faith ). In virtually identical contexts, when but is understood as a preposition, the pronoun following it is in the objective case: Everyone lost faith but her. The prepositional use is more common. However, when prepositional but and its following pronoun occur near the beginning of a sentence, the subjective case often appears: Everyone but she lost faith in the plan. See also doubt, than.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH but

but , butt

Words nearby but

busybody, busy Lizzie, busyness, busy signal, busywork, but, butabarbital sodium, butadiene, but and ben, butane, butanoic acid

Other definitions for but (2 of 4)

but²

[ buht ]

/ bʌt /

noun Scot.

the outer or front room of a house; the outer or front apartment in an apartment house.

the kitchen of a two-room dwelling, especially of a cottage.

Origin of but

²

1715–25; noun use of but¹ (adv.) outside, outside the house

Other definitions for but (3 of 4)

but³

[ buht ]

/ bʌt /

noun plural (especially collectively) but, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) buts.

Other definitions for but (4 of 4)

but-

a combining form meaning “containing a group of four carbon atoms,” used in the formation of compound words: butene.

Origin of but-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say but?

The conjunction but means “on the contrary,” and is used to indicate contrast or opposition between elements in a sentence. How is but different from however, nevertheless, still, and yet? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

How to use but in a sentence

And more I cannot explain/but you, from what I did not say/will infer what I do not say.
Sor Juana: Mexico’s Most Erotic Poet and Its Most Dangerous Nun|Katie Baker|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And there is always the easy-but-true charge of Hollywood hypocrisy.
Russell Brand’s Revolution For Morons|Michael Moynihan|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sheets of bright-but-not-too-bright blue streaked with thin clouds.
Native American Basketball Team in Wyoming Have Hoop Dreams Of Their Own|Robert Silverman|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And in those conflicts, the Predator would be all-but-useless.
The Killer Drone Goes Stealthy—Just in Time for a New Cold War|Zach Rosenberg|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And we all remember good-but-overpraised songs like If I Had a Hammer and the treacly classic Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
The Death of 'Stalin's Songbird'|Michael Moynihan|January 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When he first worked her she had the old bee-but boiler, 24 feet in diameter.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
Till now one with sudden hiss: "But-good Christ-just look-why, the roof's leaning—!"
The Lord of the Sea|M. P. Shiel
Our friend with his infinite variety and flexibility, we know-but can we put him in?
The Pocket R.L.S.|Robert Louis Stevenson
Eligible single gentlemen pass and repass-but there is no invitation for to inquire within or without.
The Pickwick Papers|Charles Dickens
And again there came to Honoria that ache of longing for the but-half-disclosed glory and fulness of life.
The History of Sir Richard Calmady|Lucas Malet

British Dictionary definitions for but (1 of 2)

but¹

/ (bʌt, unstressed bət) /

conjunction (coordinating)

contrary to expectationhe cut his knee but didn't cry

in contrast; on the contraryI like opera but my husband doesn't

(usually used after a negative) other thanwe can't do anything but wait

conjunction (subordinating)

(usually used after a negative) without it happening or being the case thatwe never go out but it rains

(foll by that) except thatnothing is impossible but that we live forever

archaic if not; unless

sentence connector

informal used to introduce an exclamationmy, but you're nice

preposition

except; savethey saved all but one of the pigs

but for were it not forbut for you, we couldn't have managed

adverb

just; merely; onlyhe was but a child; I can but try

Scot, Australian and NZ informal though; howeverit's a rainy day: warm, but

all but almost; practicallyhe was all but dead when we found him

noun

an objection (esp in the phrase ifs and buts)

Word Origin for but

Old English būtan without, outside, except, from be by + ūtan out; related to Old Saxon biūtan, Old High German biūzan

British Dictionary definitions for but (2 of 2)

but²

/ (bʌt) Scot /

noun

the outer room of a two-roomed cottage: usually the kitchen

preposition, adverb

in or into the outer part (of a house)Compare ben 1

Word Origin for but

C18: from but (adv) outside, hence, outer room; see but 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with but

but

In addition to the idioms beginning with but

but for
but good

also see:

all but
all over but the shouting
anything but
can't help but
close but no cigar
everything but the kitchen sink
it never rains but it pours
last but not least
no ifs or buts
nothing but
sadder but wiser
separate but equal
slow but sure
spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
there but for the grace of god

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