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

Saturday will be mostly rain-free except for a few hours in the mid-afternoon. —Scott Withers, CBS News, 13 June 2026

The royal family looked on with big smiles—except for a squinty William. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 13 June 2026

Everything else can be replaced, except for our animals. —Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 12 June 2026

It was pretty much done except for a few lines and a bridge. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for except for

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

Kids Definition

except for

preposition

: with the exception of : but for

all A's except for a B in Latin