as in almost
very close to but not completely
dinner is all but on the table, so don't go anywhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for all but
Adverb
-
ServiceNow lost almost 10% and Datadog was down nearly 9% amid fears that AI could take away more of their business .—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026 -
The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Throughout the long journey, South Park has created diehard fans who have practically memorized the entire run of the series.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Years of posting videos and photos of my kitchen projects have created this reflexive doppelgänger, someone practically unable to cook without the observing eye of an audience.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Earlier this week, Noir brought the nearly finished piece back to Good’s memorial to show a CNN reporter and photographer.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
-
For instance, a New Jersey homeowner paying $18,000 in property taxes and $9,000 in state income tax could now deduct the full $27,000, which is nearly triple what was allowed under the old cap.—
Emma Waldman,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Separately, the season's first heavy snowfall blocked multiple roads leading to Murree, a hill station about 37 miles northeast of Islamabad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Allen, from Ecosure, says annual turnover in dingo populations is quite high – about two thirds of the island’s dingoes die naturally each year.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“All but.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/all%20but. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
