all but

adverb

: very nearly : almost
would be all but impossible

Examples of all but in a Sentence

Without you the job would have been all but impossible. We had all but given up hope.

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all but was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near all but

Cite this Entry

“All but.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20but. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

all but

adverb
: very nearly : almost
would be all but impossible

More from Merriam-Webster on all but

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!