all but

adverb

: very nearly : almost

would be all but impossible

Synonyms

• about
• almost
• borderline
• fair [chiefly British]
• fairly
• feckly [chiefly Scottish]
• more or less
• most
• much
• near
• nearly
• next to
• nigh
• practically
• somewhere
• virtually
• well-nigh

Examples of all but in a Sentence

Without you the job would have been all but impossible.

We had all but given up hope.

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

all but

adverb

: very nearly : almost

would be all but impossible