# except

/ɪkˈsɛpt/ (US) · /ɛksˈɛpt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/except
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. not including

preposition · CEFR A2

not including a particular person or thing.

For teachers: used to introduce an exception to a general statement. It functions as a preposition followed by a noun or pronoun.

- The museum is open every day except Monday.
- The entire department attended the gala except the senior manager, who had to remain at the office to handle an emergency.

### 2. but / only

conjunction · CEFR B1

used before a statement that explains why something is not possible or true.

For teachers: used to introduce a clause that forms an exception to what has just been said.

- I would have arrived on time, except the bus was late.
- The renovation was completed ahead of schedule, except that the final inspection revealed several minor electrical faults.

### 4. to object

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Archaic

to disagree or argue against something.

For teachers: to take exception or object to a statement or action. This intransitive use is typically followed by the preposition 'to'.

- The lawyer excepted to the witness's statement during the trial.
- The minority shareholders excepted to the proposed merger, arguing that the valuation of the company was significantly underestimated.

Teaching tip: This sense is rare in modern English; students will mostly encounter 'take exception to' instead.

## Examples

- Everyone went to the party except for Sarah.
- The shop is open every day of the week except Sunday.
- The new law applies to all commercial vehicles except those used for emergency services or public transportation within the city limits.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.