all but
Very close to
All but means almost or nearly: The species is all but extinct.
The phrase can seem contradictory—it literally means "everything except," which is how it conveys nearness to a total state.
Something all but impossible has only the slimmest chance.
She all but admitted her guilt.
Almost but incomplete
- almostShort of completely
- practicallyAlmost but not quite
- virtuallyNearly but not quite
- just aboutNearly but not entirely
not quite · barely · scarcely · hardly · marginally · close to · approaching · as good as
nearly
Almost but incomplete
- almostShort of completely
- practicallyAlmost but not quite
- virtuallyNearly but not quite
just about · not quite · barely · scarcely · hardly · marginally · close to · approaching · as good as · next to
- almost wordsalmost, nearly, barely, close, just about
- almostalmost, nearly, about, approximately, roughly
- comparisonscomparison, compare, comparative, analogy, metaphor
- exclusionsexclude, exclusion, excluding, except, exception
all butnot at all
Complete negation phrase
nowhere near · completely · entirely · fully · totally
all butonly
Exclusively, nothing more
merely · just · exclusively · nothing but · all
all butcompletely
To the fullest extent
entirely · absolutely · totally · fully · wholly
all, but, butt, butter, buttery, buttered, buts, buttering, butting