except
∞
1.0
- adposition
- /ɪkˈsɛpt/
:
excepto
- She would go to the party, except for her prior commitments.
- except for one
- except where noted
- except in California
We got our cabbage done except for the red acre.
- We got our cabbage done except for the red acre.
- And I think that's it, except for two more things.
- But she has no other way in except for the sex.
- Now that makes sense, except in this modern world.
- It's a clear dual shock, except it has ABCD buttons.
- So no, I don't know sign language except for hi, my name.
- This greenness cannot exist except in a physical object.
- I just didn't want to do anything else except become an actor.
- Everything you'll see here except the car is origami.
- Everything was the same except for that single word cue.
- But this thing covers all except for one slot of IO.
Examples
-
Everyone enjoyed the picnic, except for John, who had to work.
-
Schools tried other times, and most seemed to work well, except before the school day or during lunch.
Academic text (2011) -
So all of the cats except these two.
-
All the other passengers have died, except for one strong, beautiful woman.
Academic text (2011) -
Everything was the same except for that single word cue.
-
Because the site is so remote, it remained largely undisturbed except for wildlife activity.
Academic text (2011) -
Nothing was on television that night except the news, and Dora Peg never watched that.
Fiction book (1990) -
It was, by and large, a pleasant assignment, except for one thing.
-
The store was open all day except for Christmas.
Synonyms
463
4.1
Not including something when you think about a situation
350
1.0
Not including someone or something
253
1.0
Except for something or someone
48
1.0
Except for someone or something
Except for a person or thing that is not included
How Inclusive
Surface Forms
Morphology
except = ex + cept
The preposition is historically from ex- + -cept, but 'cept' is not a recognisable English base, so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from the parts.
Etymology
Except comes from the Latin parts ex- 'out' and capere 'to take', so it once meant 'taken out'. That's why as a preposition except means 'not including' or 'other than'.