as in except
not including
brought everything but the kitchen table to the campground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of but
Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020
Nick has more power but Joey is a bit more nimble -- everything else is essentially equal.
—John Owning, Dallas News, 27 May 2020
Katherine Burns Olson, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2024
Those who haven't but have sworn to it under the penalty of law are allowed to participate only in federal elections.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Matthew Wynia, The Denver Post, 1 May 2017
Normally a chain moving here wouldn’t pique my interest too much, but this place has got some serious fans — called ‘
—Allyson Reedy, The Know, 24 Apr. 2017
See All Example Sentences for but
Preposition
These assumptions are in need of scrutiny, not by comparison with other countries but of this country with itself a few generations ago.
—Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020
Nick has more power but Joey is a bit more nimble -- everything else is essentially equal.
—John Owning, Dallas News, 27 May 2020
Adverb
Consider the original 18-to-20-inch base moldings in the living room, an element the client had first fallen in love with but that were all but wiped out.
—Katherine Burns Olson, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2024
Those who haven't but have sworn to it under the penalty of law are allowed to participate only in federal elections.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Conjunction
But campus leaders like Chancellor Vincent Fulginiti and many community donors had a bigger vision.
—Matthew Wynia, The Denver Post, 1 May 2017
Normally a chain moving here wouldn’t pique my interest too much, but this place has got some serious fans — called ‘
—Allyson Reedy, The Know, 24 Apr. 2017
See All Example Sentences for but
Recent Examples of Synonyms for but
Preposition
-
At Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, face masks are required in public areas, except when dining or swimming, capacity of public areas will be limited, and housekeeping and public area attendants will increase their cleaning procedures.—
Elizabeth Rhodes,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2020
-
The city advised all residents to stay inside except those going to and from work and anyone seeking or giving emergency care, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti's official Twitter account.—
NBC News,
NBC News,
1 June 2020
Adverb
-
In terms of competition, though, Huawei is the alpha dog in Chinese AI chips, shipping between 300,000 and 400,000 of its Ascend AI chips last year, compared to just north of 10,000 units from Cambricon.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The storm is due to drift west Saturday and could move on to, or just south of Jamaica, early next week.—
Josh Cradduck,
NBC news,
24 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Wisconsin is one of only a few states in the country that do not ban the private ownership of wild or exotic animals, Gengler said.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
However, the demon baby then proceeded to brutally rip apart and kill Teddy, Phil, and Susie, leaving only Lilly and Ronnie alive before the credits rolled.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Preposition
-
But his death had many contributing factors besides being unable to breath while face down on the ground.—
Kevin Grasha,
Cincinnati.com,
2 June 2020
-
The airline’s crew members and ground services personnel are undergoing detailed health check-ups at regular intervals, besides wearing protective gear at all times.—
Niharika Sharma,
Quartz India,
31 May 2020
Preposition
-
Located beside the Pyramids of Giza, the museum spans 500,000 square meters, according to the State Information Service website.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Among A-list sightings that had the whole crowd buzzing was Hailey Bieber and Miley Cyrus, who sat beside each other in matching leather looks.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“But.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/but. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share