but what

phrase

: that … not

—used to indicate possibility or uncertainty

I don't know but what I will go.

Examples of but what in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unloading about the time-travel stuff is important, but what really lifts some of the burden from Julia’s shoulders is being able to talk about Claire with Davina. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026

Apple didn't change the design of the Apple Watch Ultra 4, but what’s under the hood is a whole different story. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026

Native coverage and credible external mentions can therefore shape not only what people read about a company, but what AI tells them about it. — Andrey Insarov, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Cotton harvesting season is about to begin on Lee Nunn’s 1,600-acre family farm near Madison, but what’s normally a highlight of the year couldn’t come at a worse time. — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for but what

• abut
• catgut
• chesnut
• chestnut
• donut
• doughnut
• groundnut
• haircut
• hindgut
• midgut
• precut
• rebut