except for

preposition

1

: with the exception of

Everyone was gone except for me.

2

: were it not for

except for you I would be dead

Synonyms of except for

• except
• beside
• besides
• other than
• but

Examples of except for in a Sentence

except for newscasts, I hardly watch any television at all

Recent Examples on the Web

Last year, the European Union banned emotion AI in the workplace, except for when it’s used for medical or safety reasons. —Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026

The plaintiffs alleged that the two types of savings accounts are identical, except for the interest rate Capital One paid on them. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 May 2026

And that rate is used to then slot in the rookie compensation for draft picks, except for the compensatory selections (more on those later). —Daniel Popper, New York Times, 1 May 2026

All walks, except for the one on June 7, cost $20 per person, according to a statement. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for except for

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

except for

preposition

: with the exception of : but for

all A's except for a B in Latin