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

Indeed, except for the back end of the bullpen, Dodgers old and new rose to the championship occasion. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

In early November the lake sat quiet, except for the moments when scores of Canada geese would descend to the surface to rest before continuing their journey south. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

The Minnesota Department of Corrections said those two housing units did not originally have air conditioning except for in common areas. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

On the other hand, the free password manager has all the features of the Pro edition except for an advanced password security report. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 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