anything but
Far from being
Anything but means the opposite of what follows—a negation through emphatic contrast.
To say someone is anything but lazy means they're notably hardworking.
The phrase intensifies denial: The meeting was anything but productive.
It can stand alone when the context is clear: Was she pleased?
Anything but.
Emphatic total rejection
- definitely notEmphatic negative response
- certainly notEmphatic refusal or denial
- far fromAt great distance from
- not at allComplete negation phrase
by no means · in no way · hardly · nothing like · nowhere near · not in the least · contrary to
With the exclusion of
- excludingLeaving something out
- other thanExcluding or except for
- besidesIn addition to
- aside fromExcluding from consideration
save for · with the exception of · barring · omitting · leaving out · apart from · but for · excepting
absolutely not
Emphatic total rejection
- definitely notEmphatic negative response
- certainly notEmphatic refusal or denial
- far fromAt great distance from
not at all · by no means · in no way · hardly · nothing like · nowhere near · not in the least · contrary to
except
With the exclusion of
- excludingLeaving something out
- other thanExcluding or except for
- besidesIn addition to
aside from · save for · with the exception of · barring · omitting · leaving out · apart from · but for · excepting · short of
anything butnothing but
Exclusively one thing
absolutely · completely · entirely · totally · exactly
anything butexactly
With total accuracy
precisely · quintessentially · truly · genuinely · veritably
anything butnothing but
Exclusively one thing
everything · all · only · exclusively · just
thing, anyone, anything, anybody, anywhere, anytime, anyplace, anything's