Synonyms of but

but 1 of 3

preposition

as in except

not including

brought everything but the kitchen table to the campground

Synonyms & Similar Words

• except
• excepting
• besides
• beside
• other than
• except for
• excluding
• saving
• bar
• outside
• apart from
• barring
• save
• exclusive of
• outside of
• aside from

but

2 of 3

adverb

as in just

nothing more than

she is but a child and too young to understand such things

Synonyms & Similar Words

• just
• only
• merely
• simply
• purely

but

3 of 3

conjunction

ˈbət 

as in excepting

if it were not for the fact that

I would have said something but I was too chicken

Synonyms & Similar Words

• excepting
• yet
• except
• only
• saving

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of but

Preposition

These assumptions are in need of scrutiny, not by comparison with other countries but of this country with itself a few generations ago. —Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020

Nick has more power but Joey is a bit more nimble -- everything else is essentially equal. —John Owning, Dallas News, 27 May 2020

Adverb

Don’t call it a reboot, because, as many viewers have discovered, the new CBS drama Matlock starring Oscar winner Kathy Bates is everything but. —Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

And on Sunday, in a 4-3 walk-off loss to the Detroit Tigers that sent the club into the All-Star break with a series defeat and losses in eight of their last 10 games, the Dodgers did anything but. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2024

Conjunction

But campus leaders like Chancellor Vincent Fulginiti and many community donors had a bigger vision. —Matthew Wynia, The Denver Post, 1 May 2017

Normally a chain moving here wouldn’t pique my interest too much, but this place has got some serious fans — called ‘ —Allyson Reedy, The Know, 24 Apr. 2017

Phrases Containing but

• all but