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except

ex·cept

except

 
 
pronunciation:
ihk sept
parts of speech:
preposition, conjunction
features:
Language Note, Word Parts
part of speech: preposition
definition: apart from; not including; but.
Everyone except Mary went to the seashore.
synonyms:
besides, but, save
 
part of speech: conjunction
definition 1: if it were not that; only; but.
We would have gone except it rained.
synonyms:
but, only
definition 2: unless; otherwise than.
He never stopped talking except to take a drink of water.
synonyms:
but
similar words:
unless
Language Note
Except is easy to confuse with accept because these two words sound alike. Accept is a verb that means "to receive or agree to." Except is a preposition that means "not including."
Mrs. Mulligan could not accept Jesse's excuse for being late. She believed his whole story, except the part about the aliens.
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