but

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations strong: /ˈbʌt/, weak: /bət/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/bʌt; unstressed bət/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(but; unstressed bət)


Collocations for "but"


Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "but" in context.

WordReference English Collocations © 2025

but

ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.
conj
  1. he can [swim, drive], but she can't
  2. she [finished, passed, went], but I didn't
  3. they played [awfully, badly] but (still) won
  4. [odd, weird, strange, unbelievable] but true
  5. not [that one] but [the other]
  6. they did nothing but [complain, argue, fight]
  7. is nothing but [trouble, a pain, a pest]
  8. could do nothing but [wait, laugh, accept]
  9. would like to [go, finish, try] but
  10. it never rains but it pours
  11. but that's [fantastic, amazing, great]!
  12. but what [about, if] ...?
  13. but [why, how]?
prep
  1. all but one (of)
  2. [nobody, everyone, everybody] but me
  3. [nobody] but me was [invited, included, considered, interviewed, asked]
  4. [nobody] but her [knew, answered, spoke]
  5. [nobody] [knew] but him
n
  1. no if, ands, or buts about it
  2. don't want any buts [from, out of] you
  3. want no more buts [from] you
  4. have had too many buts [from] you
  5. [plagued with, full of] ifs and buts
  6. no buts!
adv
  1. there is but one [God, Earth, champion]
additional examples
  1. all but one (of)
  2. no if, ands, or buts about it
  3. was all but [forgotten, lost]
  4. [nobody, everyone, everybody] but me
  5. don't want any buts [from, out of] you
  6. there is but one [God, Earth, champion]
  7. [nobody] but me was [invited, included, considered, interviewed, asked]
  8. want no more buts [from] you
  9. [nobody] but her [knew, answered, spoke]
  10. have had too many buts [from] you
  11. [nobody] [knew] but him
  12. [plagued with, full of] ifs and buts
  13. he can [swim, drive], but she can't
  14. no buts!
  15. she [finished, passed, went], but I didn't
  16. they played [awfully, badly] but (still) won
  17. [odd, weird, strange, unbelievable] but true
  18. not [that one] but [the other]
  19. they did nothing but [complain, argue, fight]
  20. is nothing but [trouble, a pain, a pest]
  21. could do nothing but [wait, laugh, accept]
  22. would like to [go, finish, try] but
  23. it never rains but it pours
  24. but that's [fantastic, amazing, great]!
  25. but what [about, if] ...?
  26. but [why, how]?
'but' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Dutch - OK - SOB - a stone's throw - again - agenda - alarm - all - almost - already - also - alternative - amusing - anyhow - anything - anywhere - apparently - aside - assured - awe - awful - badass - barren - battle - beggar - belated - besides - between - biased - bigot - bind - bite - blackmail - bleak - blockbuster - blond - blonde - bluff - blur - bone - bother - brief - briefly - budge - bulky - burden - but for - buy - caution - celebration

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