all but

Idioms and Phrases

Almost, nearly, as in I've all but finished the book . This expression was used by Andrew Marvell in “Thoughts in a Garden”: “ Society is all but rude, To this delicious solitude .” [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

Momentum grinding to a halt, the absurdities and indignities that unfolded before this point are all but forgotten, lost in a swirl of badly rendered pixels.

From Los Angeles Times

Although America’s CEOs and financiers largely condemned Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021, they all but made peace with his political return this year—tempering their onetime critiques of the candidate and the GOP, hedging their bets in the lead-up to Election Day, forbidding their media apparatuses from endorsing Kamala Harris, and lining up to kiss the ring soon after Trump’s win became clear.

From Slate

The cryptocurrency industry spent so much money in this race that they’ve all but bribed and ensured future loyalty from a bipartisan swath of lawmakers.

From Slate

That has wrecked the plans of MLS — which has all but rechristened itself Messi Soccer League — and its broadcast partners at Apple, who both were deeply invested in drawing a massive global audience for a league championship game with Messi at its center.

From Los Angeles Times

On Wednesday, the parent company of Bally Sports indicated that it was prepared to step away from broadcasting games of the Angels and all but one other team.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• approximately
• basically
• essentially
• morally
• nearly
• virtually