Basic+ Word of the Day: except

except (preposition, conjuction)

All the doors are gray except for one.

We use the word except to talk about something that is different from the other things in a group. For example, if we say, “All European countries drive on the right except the UK,” it means that the UK is the only country that doesn’t drive on the right. We sometimes use the word for after except.

• All the girls have long hair except (for) her.

We can also use except when two or more things are almost the same but there is something about them that is different. We sometimes use the word that after except.

• The houses are the same except (that) their doors are different colors.

Don't confuse it with

If you accept something, it means that you take something that someone is giving you. For example, “I can’t accept this gift. It’s too expensive!”

In pop culture

In this video from the TV show The Simpsons, it’s a hot day in summer and the Simpsons have a new swimming pool. All the children are having fun in the pool except for Bart. He can’t go in the water because he has a broken leg. Bart asks his friend Milhouse to stay with him, but Milhouse wants to go in the pool too. He tells Bart that he lost his glasses in the pool. What does Milhouse write on Bart’s leg?

There are other meanings of except.