except for

Idioms  

1. Also, with the exception of. Other than, were it not for. For example, Except for Jack, everyone came to the party, or With the exception of the weather, everything went extremely well. [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

The building, Riverwalk, was dark except for the lights in apartment 504.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

After a successful trip around the Moon, everything has been going smoothly on the Orion spacecraft’s journey back to Earth – except for the $23 million toilet, which has gotten clogged.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

He added that he and his wife, Kat Taylor, have spent the past two decades pushing for rehabilitative justice — treatment instead of mass incarceration except for violent felons.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

With few other options, the American children went with their parents — except for Hernández García, who had not been detained and stayed to earn money and send medicine home.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

She had not seemed herself since they entered the caverns, except for the brief time when they were swimming.

From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda