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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
Examples of except for in a Sentence
except for newscasts, I hardly watch any television at all
Recent Examples on the Web
Pay an additional $1 to add the Power Play for a chance to multiply all Powerball winnings except for the jackpot.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 6 May 2024
Officers lifted him back onto his bunk, leaving him unconscious and naked except for a covering draped over his groin.
—Glenn Thrush Carlos Javier Ortiz, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Most of Houston's city limits were not heavily impacted by the weather, except for the northeastern neighborhood of Kingwood.
—CBS News, 4 May 2024
All offer ninth to 12th grade, except for No. 8:
1.
—Jimena Tavel, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
All of my family lives in South Carolina, literally, except for a second cousin who lives in Chicago.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 2 May 2024
But fighters entered the house and killed or abducted everyone inside, except for his father who hid in the bathroom.
—Sam Mednick, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr. 2024
Long and skinny, with light fur everywhere except for their black face masks, feet and tail tips, the mammals are nocturnal and mostly live underground.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
So for the first year, the uniforms are identical except for color schemes.
—David Waldstein Mimi D’autremont, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'except for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of except for was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near except for
Cite this Entry
“Except for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/except%20for. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
except for
preposition
: with the exception of : but for
all A's except for a B in Latin
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