except

verb

excepted; excepting; excepts

transitive verb

: to take or leave out from a number or a whole : exclude

intransitive verb

: to take exception : object

exceptive

ik-ˈsep-təv 

adjective

Synonyms of except

• object
• complain
• protest

Examples of except in a Sentence

Children were excepted from the study.

I must except to your remark that there are no great novelists currently living.

Recent Examples on the Web

Highs are excepted to climb to 79 degrees on Wednesday, 84 on Thursday, 88 on Friday and Saturday and 89 on Sunday, before dipping to 88 on Monday, according to the forecast. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026

The system worked great, excepting the start. —Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026

Other piggyback options include Ryan Yarbrough or Paul Blackburn, two swingmen who are excepted to be in the bullpen. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026

Atlassian Central will top out at 183 m (600 ft), making it over twice as tall and – according to the CTBUH, the premier authority on building heights – the world's tallest, excepting proposals that haven't yet been approved. —Adam Williams march 06, New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French excepter, from Latin exceptare, frequentative of excipere to take out, except, from ex- + capere to take — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing except

• except for

Rhymes for except

• accept
• adept
• inept
• precept
• sidestepped
• transept
• windswept
• crept
• kept
• leaped
• leapt
• prepped

Kids Definition

except

1 of 3 preposition

ex·​cept ik-ˈsept 

variants also excepting

ik-ˈsept-iŋ 

1

: not including

daily except Sundays

2

: with the exception of

take no orders except from me

except

2 of 3 verb

: to leave out from a number or a whole : exclude, omit

except

3 of 3 conjunction

variants also excepting

1

: if it were not for the fact that : only

I'd go, except it's too far

2

: with this exception, namely

was impossible to get to except by boat

Etymology

Middle English excepten "to take or leave out," from early French excepter (same meaning), derived from Latin excipere "to take out," from ex- "out" and capere "to take" — related to accept, capture, intercept

Legal Definition

except

transitive verb

ex·​cept

ik-ˈsept

: to take or leave out (as from insurance coverage or a deed) : exclude

specifically excepted the air carriers and unions from the provisions

—M. A. Kelly

intransitive verb

: object

especially : to file a bill of exceptions or make a formal exception

excepted to the judge's order