but

¹

[buht, buht]

conjunction

1. on the contrary; yet.

   My brother went, but I did not.

2. except; save.

   She was so overcome with grief she could do nothing but weep.

3. unless; if not; except that (followed by a clause, often with that expressed).

   Nothing would do but that I should come in.

4. without the circumstance that.

   It never rains but it pours.

5. otherwise than.

   There is no hope but by prayer.

6. that (used especially after doubt, deny, etc., with a negative).

   I don't doubt but he will do it.

7. who not; that not.

   No leaders worthy of the name ever existed but they were optimists.

8. (used as an intensifier to introduce an exclamatory expression).

   But she's beautiful!

9. Informal.,  than.

   It no sooner started raining but it stopped.

preposition

1. with the exception of; except; save.

   No one replied but me.

adverb

1. only; just.

   There is but one God.

noun

1. buts, reservations or objections.

   You'll do as you're told, no buts about it.

but

²

[buht]

noun

Scot.

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

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

but

³

[buht]

noun

plural

but ,

plural

buts .

1. a variant of butt.

but-

⁴

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

   butene.

but

¹

/ bət, bʌt /

conjunction

1. contrary to expectation

   he cut his knee but didn't cry

2. in contrast; on the contrary

   I like opera but my husband doesn't

3. (usually used after a negative) other than

   we can't do anything but wait

conjunction

1. (usually used after a negative) without it happening or being the case that

   we never go out but it rains

2. (foll by that) except that

   nothing is impossible but that we live forever

3. archaic,  if not; unless

1. informal,  used to introduce an exclamation

   my, but you're nice

preposition

1. except; save

   they saved all but one of the pigs

2. were it not for

   but for you, we couldn't have managed

adverb

1. just; merely; only

   he was but a child

   I can but try

2. informal,  though; however

   it's a rainy day: warm, but

3. almost; practically

   he was all but dead when we found him

noun

1. an objection (esp in the phrase ifs and buts )

but

²

/ bʌt /

noun

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

preposition

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

Grammar Note

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, so ¹. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of but¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English buten, Old English būtan, contraction of be ūtan “on the outside, without”; by ( def. ), out ( def. )

Origin of but²

First recorded in 1715–25; noun use of adverb but ¹ ( def. ) “outside, outside the house”

Origin of but³

< but(yric) ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of but¹

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

Origin of but²

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. but what. what.

2. but for, except for; were it not for.

   But for the excessive humidity, it might have been a pleasant day.

More idioms and phrases containing but

• 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

Synonym Study

See except ¹.

Example Sentences

“When I was looking for that but didn’t know where to go, our party was born out of that feeling. Chappell’s singing about experiences that really only our community can deeply understand.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I mean, I buy tickets, but I don’t buy tickets five months’ advance.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

California student test scores remain lower than before the pandemic, but are trending upward, with the Compton and L.A. school districts among those with especially strong growth and results that have surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I may sound conspiratorial, but I don’t think it is a coincidence,” he said.

Read more on Salon

"It was intimidating but also the focus was on telling the best story that we could and that's why they're all amazing at what they do," the actor added.

Read more on BBC

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.