anything but

Idioms  

1. By no means, not at all, as in He is anything but ambitious for a promotion. William Wordsworth in his long poem, The Prelude (1805–1806), wrote: “Grief call it not, 'twas anything but that.”

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Example Sentences

And a plan for capturing Iran’s nuclear supply—assuming one exists—is anything but.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

"It was the opposite. It is anything but a flop, because it worked."

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

He never thought they'd be worth anything, but in the past year, he has seen cards go for large amounts.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

The results show that the standard contrarian rebalancing strategy of selling winners and buying losers holds up well over time, but we are in anything but ordinary times.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

But I was so blind I couldn’t see anything but the pony.”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls