ENGLISH
REFERENCE

all but

idiom
Meaning

almost or nearly. You use this to say that something is so close to being true that the difference does not matter.


Examples
SIMPLE

The project is all but finished now.

CONTEXTUAL

After the storm destroyed the roof, the house was all but ruined.

COMPLEX

With the deadline approaching and the data still incomplete, the team realized that success was all but impossible.

Last updated April 22, 2026