but for

Idioms  

1. Except for, were it not for. For example, But for the afternoon shower, it was a perfect day, or But for the children, they would have gotten a divorce long ago. [c. 1200]

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Example Sentences

But the creators of those series were never as aggressively dismissive of the industry as Sheridan has been – and not only recently, but for many years.

From Salon • Jul. 9, 2026

“We have asked repeatedly for not just a high-level overview of what happened that day, but for the details, the specific fully transparent details,” Nicole Dickey told NPR shortly after the lawsuit was filed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

"Fast forward a year later... this is catharsis - for Mexicans especially, but for Latinos in general."

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026

Deaths from the June 24 disaster have crept past 3,500, but for families like Alvarado's there is still the race to find the tens of thousands reported missing.

From Barron's • Jul. 6, 2026

It had to, not only for Sir Fig Newton but for me.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas