Alternative word for but

Implying that the following clause contrasts with the preceding clause

“She may have aged, but her beauty has not waned.”

On the other hand

“Sally was tall, but her sister was short.”

(following a negative clause) Indicating the impossibility of anything other than what is being stated

“There was nothing he could do but continue to work hard.”

Except for the fact that

“I should have tidied up the apartment, but I was too lazy.”

Despite the fact that

Indicating an exception

“Everyone but John had left the party.”

In spite of

To the exclusion of everyone or everything else

“I admire many authors like Hemingway, Twain, and Dickens to name but a few.”

In spite of what preceded

A condition or qualification attached to an agreement or statement

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You’ll use some terms frequently in your written work. “But” is one of these words: the twenty-second most common word in English, in fact! Consequently, you shouldn’t worry too much about the repetition of “but” in your writing. But if you find yourself using it in every other sentence, you might want to try a few alternatives. How about the following?

Other Conjunctions

“But” is a conjunction (i.e., a linking word) used to introduce a contrast. For example, we could use it in a sentence expressing contrasting opinions about Queen guitarist Brian May and his hairdo:

I like Brian May, but I find his hair ridiculous.

One option to reduce repetition of “but” in writing is to use the word “yet:”

I like Brian May, yet I find his hair ridiculous.

“Yet” can often replace “but” in a sentence without changing anything else, as both are coordinating conjunctions that can introduce a contrast.

Alternatively, you could use one of these subordinating conjunctions:

• Although (e.g., I like Brian May, although I find his hair ridiculous.)
• Though (e.g., I like Brian May, though I find his hair ridiculous.)
• Even though (e.g., I like Brian May, even though I find his hair ridiculous.)

As subordinating conjunctions, these terms can also be used at the start of a sentence. This isn’t the case with “but,” though:

Though I like Brian May, I find his hair ridiculous. – Correct

But I like Brian May, I find his hair ridiculous. – Incorrect

Other subordinating conjunctions used to introduce a contrast include “despite” and “whereas.” If you’re going to use “despite” in place of “but,” you may need to rephrase the sentence slightly. For instance:

Despite liking Brian May, I find his hair ridiculous.

I like Brian May’s guitar solos, whereas I find his hair ridiculous.

How to Use “However”

One common replacement for “but” in academic writing is “however.” But we use this adverb to show a sentence contrasts with something previously said. As such, rather than connecting two parts of a sentence, it should only be used after a semicolon or in a new sentence:

I like Brian May’s guitar solos. However, I find his hair ridiculous.

I like Brian May’s guitar solos; however, I find his hair ridiculous.

“However” can be used mid-sentence, separated by commas. Even then, though, you should separate the sentence in which it appears from the one with which it is being contrasted. For instance:

I like Brian May’s guitar solos. I do, however, find his hair ridiculous.

Here, again, the “however” sentence contrasts with the preceding one.

Other Adverbial Alternatives to “But”

Other contrasting adverbs and adverbial phrases can be used in similar ways to “however” above. Alternatives include:

• Conversely (I like Brian May’s guitar solos. Conversely, I find his hair ridiculous.)
• Nevertheless (I like Brian May; nevertheless, I find his hair ridiculous.)
• In contrast (I like Brian May’s guitar solos. In contrast, I find his hair ridiculous.)

One popular phrase for introducing a contrast is “on the other hand.” In formal writing, though, this should always follow from “on the one hand:”

On the one hand, I like Brian May’s music, so I do admire him. On the other hand, his hairstyle is terrifying, so I do worry about him.

Finally, if you’re ever unsure which terms to use as alternatives to “but” in writing, having your document proofread by the experts can help.

BUT Synonym! Following are alternative words you can use instead of BUT in English. Each synonym will have an example sentence to help you understand the word clearly.

BUT Synonym List

Learn list of BUT synonyms in English.

• although
• though
• yet
• only
• however
• except
• nevertheless
• nonetheless
• alternatively
• on the other hand
• still
• except for
• in contrast
• whereas
• on the contrary
• otherwise

Learn synonyms for BUT with example sentences.

• Although

Although she is very poor, she has not lost her dignity.

• However

You won’t move that stone, however strong you are.

• Except

I can give up anything in the world except you.

• Nevertheless

The news may be unexpected;nevertheless it is true.

• On the other hand

On the other hand, it keeps us amused, so what the hell?

• Still

There is still snow on the mountain tops.

• Though

Though she’s almost 40, she still plans to compete.

• Yet

It is said that a cat hath nine lives, yet care would wear them all out.

• Only

A man is only as good as what he loves.

• Except for

Except for smoking and drinking, he is a thrifty man.

• In contrast

In contrast with your belief that we will fail, I am confident that we will succeed

• Whereas

Death is so final, whereas life is so full of possibilities.

• On the contrary

It doesn’t seem ugly to me; on the contrary, I think it’s rather beautiful.

• Nonetheless

Though he’s fool, I like him nonetheless.

• Alternatively

Alternatively, you can obtain one from any accredited insurance valuer.

• Otherwise

Walk slowly on the ice,otherwise you’ll fall.

Another Word for BUT | Infographic

Use Another Word For But Or Pay The Price!

The word ‘but’ nearly broke up my family.  You see, for the past two years I have been working with my life partner, the father of my two children, Nick.  Having been together for over five years we are in that comfy place, you know, the point where you no longer sweat the small stuff, where you speak your mind, rarely dress up, and no longer try to impress one another.  In short, we take each other for granted.  What I didn’t realise was the damage my choice of words was causing this relationship.  

When Nick would suggest ideas and solutions that I was not onboard with, I would deflect it by saying things like:

“Yes, but we can’t do that” 

“I understand you are passionate about this but, I don’t like it”

“It’s good, but it won’t work” 

Nick was feeling more and more deflated, unappreciated, and unhappy because using the word ‘but’ in each case meant all he heard was ‘We can’t’, I don’t like it’, ‘it won’t work’… 

I needed another word for but and I needed it fast.  This wasn’t just a desire to improve my English, it was necessary to save my relationship!

Words To Use Instead Of But PDF

Nick taught me the dangers of using but, and we worked out some great options to use instead, options I am going to share with you. 

Now let’s return to the conjunction BUT.  It’s a wonderful word really, very useful; however, it is overused and as we have seen, in certain circumstances it can be abrupt. 

There are many other words that we can use to replace but, though it’s important to note that in almost all cases the sentence will need to be restructured. 

And As An Alternative For But

And is a great option, that gives you the opportunity to give more reason.  Let’s revisit 

‘I love you but I can’t be with you’

‘I love you and I can’t be with you’ – this is simply confusing and needs more detail. So let’s pad it out. 

‘I love you like a brother not as a boyfriend and staying with you isn’t fair on either of us, for this reason I can’t be with you’ – this at least gives justification to the decision to leave and doesn’t disregard the fact that she does actually care about him.

A But Synonyms In English List

Instead of BUT you might also consider one of these words

However

You are a great worker; however, we have to make you redundant

Though

This is a great idea, though I need help understanding it more.

Although

You are welcome to come to the party, although you won’t know anyone there.

Nevertheless

He is a very intelligent student with great potential; nevertheless, he is disruptive and cannot remain a student at this school.

Despite this 

Your audition was the best we have ever seen. Despite this, we shan’t be offering you a part in our play.

Any of these options will allow you to avoid repetition.

Conclusion: But Synonyms and how to use another word for ‘but’PDF

No matter what words you choose when talking to important people in your life, just remember that they aren’t mind-readers, they don’t know your true intentions, or if you have been having a bad day…they only know what you present to them.  So speak with kindness, challenge them with consideration, and remember that words can impact people in different ways.

Now, if you want amazing English, BUT, you don’t know how… I can help you speak English fluently in less than a year.

Additional Considerations Of But Synonyms

You may find other synonyms that are easy, like for like alternative words for but.  They may include a synonym list such as:

Still…

Yet…

On the other hand…

Besides…

Except…

It’s just that…

Nonetheless…

Only…

However, in this lesson we have considered the importance of communicating a message in your language and many of these alternatives also negate the original statement prior to the contrasting clause.  So beware of these but synonyms.

Join our C1 advanced English course today!

Рассказали, какие синонимичные слова и конструкции можно использовать вместо союза but.

В каких ситуациях используется but

Давайте разберем основные значения but в английском языке:

1. But выражает противопоставление и контраст, на русский переводится как «а», «но»:
   

   He really likes eating vegetables but can’t stand broccoli. – Он очень любит есть овощи, но терпеть не может брокколи.

   Snails are slow but lizards are fast. – Улитки медленные, а ящерицы быстрые.

   Со словом but можно использовать частицу not:

   She will call you but not today. – Она позвонит вам, но не сегодня.

   They found a new flat to rent but not as spacious as they wanted to have. – Они нашли новую съемную квартиру, но не такую просторную, как хотели.

2. But в значении «кроме», «за исключением» можно ставить только после слов all, every, any, no, none и их производных, например, everyone, nothing, anyone:
   

   Everyone but Diana was happy to see Laurie back at work. – Все, кроме Дианы, были рады снова видеть Лори на работе.

   All guests but the Martins have arrived. – Все гости, кроме Мартинов, приехали.

   I bought nothing but a bar of chocolate. – Я ничего не купила, кроме плитки шоколада.

   В разговорной речи после but можно употреблять не существительное, а объектное местоимение (me, you, him, her, us, them):

   Nobody could help him, but me. – Никто не мог ему помочь, кроме меня.

   В официальной речи после but можно употреблять субъектное местоимение (I, he, she, it, you, we, they):

   Everyone but she accepted the invitation. – Все, кроме нее, приняли приглашение.

3. В официальной речи but употребляется в значении «только», «всего лишь», его синонимы — only и merely:
   

   Life is but a dream. – Жизнь – всего лишь сон.

   All of us are but mere mortals. – Все мы лишь простые смертные.

   There is but one song left before the end of the party. – Осталась только одна песня до конца вечеринки.

4. But в составе конструкции all but, которая на русский переводится как «почти полностью»:
   

   My knowledge of Chemistry is all but forgotten. – Мои знания химии почти полностью забыты.

5. But в составе устойчивых словосочетаний:
   • The last but one – предпоследний
     

     His surname is the last but one on the list. – Его фамилия предпоследняя в списке.

   • Next but one – через один
     

     This couple lives next but one door to me. – Эта пара живет через один дом от меня.

   • Cannot help but + инфинитив без частицы to – нельзя не, не может не, ничего не остается, кроме как:
     

     The audience cannot help but laugh at his jokes, they are hilarious. – Публика не может не смеяться над его шутками, они очень смешные.

   • Have no alternative/choice/option but + инфинитив – нет выбора, кроме как
     

     She had no choice but to sell the house in the city and get back to the farm. – У нее не было выбора, кроме как продать дом в городе и вернуться на ферму.

Чем можно заменить but, чтобы избежать повтора в речи

1. Если вы хотите сказать «однако» или «хотя», используйте however. В английском это вводное слово, поэтому на письме оно выделяется запятой:
   

   This is our potential future assistant. However, there are other applicants as well. – Возможно, это наш будущий ассистент. Хотя также есть и другие соискатели.

   It has been a good year for our small business; however, we need to work harder next year to grow bigger. – Это был хороший год для нашего маленького бизнеса, однако в следующем году нам нужно работать больше, чтобы стать крупнее.

2. Похожую функцию в предложении играет союз nevertheless, который имеет значение «однако», «тем не менее». Это тоже вводное слово, которое в английском выделяется запятой, оно может стоять либо в начале предложения, либо в середине после точки с запятой:
   

   Nevertheless, there may be some unknown to us reasons. – Тем не менее могут существовать и неизвестные нам причины.

   Your project is well done; nevertheless, you must work harder to get a good final mark. – Ваш проект качественно выполнен; тем не менее вам нужно активнее работать, чтобы получить хорошую итоговую оценку.

3. В качестве вводной конструкции, которой можно заменить but, используется и фраза despite this (несмотря на это):
   

   The company tried hard to attract new customers. Despite this, they achieved nothing. – Компания активно пыталась привлечь новых клиентов. Несмотря на это, они ничего не достигли.

4. В разговорной речи в значении «хотя» but часто заменяют на though:
   

   I speak English quite well, though I have some difficulties with writing. – Я достаточно хорошо говорю по-английски, хотя у меня есть проблемы с письмом.

5. В официальной речи в значении «хотя» вместо but могут использовать although или even though:
   

   The head of the department seemed to like his ideas, although it definitely doesn’t mean that the board will accept them. – Казалось, что главе отдела понравились его идеи, хотя это совершенно не значит, что совет примет их.

   Even though we have agreed on a large order, our company will not give you an installment plan. — Хоть мы и договорились о крупном заказе, наша компания не предоставит вам рассрочку.

6. Если в деловой речи вы хотите показать контраст между двумя идеями, вместо but используйте союз whereas (в то время как):
   

   He is used to complaining, whereas I prefer to stay optimistic and search for possible solutions of the problem. – Он привык жаловаться, в то время как я предпочитаю сохранять оптимизм и искать возможные решения проблемы.

7. В значении «однако» вместо but можно использовать союз yet. Он ставится в начале предложения и отделяется запятой. В разговорной речи yet в качестве вводного слова используется редко:
   

   She’s focused mostly on Biology. Yet, she also succeeds in other subjects. – Она сосредоточена по большей части на биологии. Однако она также успешна и в других предметах.

8. В значении «кроме» и «не включая» but можно заменить на except:
   

   The whole team, except Maddie, attended the meeting. – Вся команда, кроме Мэдди, была на совещании.

Надеемся, что статья была вам полезна, и теперь вместо того, чтобы использовать but в любой ситуации, где необходимо возразить или противопоставить что-то, вы обратитесь и к другим союзам и конструкциям, которые расширят словарный запас и сделают речь богатой и разнообразной.

Предлагаем пройти тест, чтобы отработать новую лексику из статьи.

Если вы нашли ошибку, пожалуйста, выделите фрагмент текста и нажмите Ctrl+Enter.

Video Transcript
Section 1
Hey there I’m Emma from mmmEnglish and in today’s lesson, we’re gonna look at this small but very important word and we’re gonna learn twelve better ways to say but. Well, maybe not better but definitely different and definitely more interesting.

But is an incredibly useful word and we use it a lot in English. But if you want to bring your English up to the next level and you want to expand your vocabulary, learning some alternative words and some expressions to use instead of but is an excellent way to do it.

So are you ready to stop saying but?

Let’s dive in.

Let me start by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with using but. English speakers use but all the time but by adding some variety to your vocabulary and expanding the range of English words that you use regularly will help you to sound less repetitive, less robotic when you’re speaking. Plus it’s fun to try new things.

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We offer a free trial so that you can experience everything on offer in a full membership and it’s free for ten days. I’ve put the link down in the description below so that you can start your free trial today.

In this lesson, I’m gonna start with the most casual words and phrases that you can use instead of but. But as we go further through the lesson they’re going to get a little more formal and perhaps there’ll be some new ones that you’re not super familiar with.

I’m going to use this little scale down here to help explain how formal or how informal something is. The scale’s out of five with one being the most informal and five being the most formal.

Though
Nevertheless

Though, for example, is really quite casual but nevertheless is really quite formal.

We can use though and although instead of but to show contrast.

• I wanted an ice cream but I didn’t have any money.
• I wanted an ice cream though I didn’t have any money.

Both though and although are more flexible than but because they can go in the middle of the sentence like we see here or at the beginning of our sentence like this.

• Although I didn’t have any money, I wanted an ice cream.

Though can even go right at the very end.

• I wanted an ice cream, I didn’t have any money though.

In spoken English though is more common than although.

Although

Although is slightly more formal.

Actually I want to talk specifically about though especially when it comes at the end of the sentence because it is so common in spoken English.

You’ve probably heard it before and maybe you’ve wondered what on earth it meant or maybe you thought it was one of those things that native speakers say even though it’s not proper grammar.

It is though! It is proper grammar.

Having though at the end of a sentence like this indicates a contrast or an opposing idea in exactly the same way as we use but.

You thought it wasn’t proper grammar but it is or: It is though.

That said

Here’s a good one! We can use the phrase that said when we speak and we use it to add an opinion that contrasts something that has just been said.

• I like working from home. That said, I miss socialising in the office.

We can use the adverb however in the same way but however is slightly more formal and we can use it in both written English and spoken English. That said is mainly used in spoken English.

• I like working from home however I miss socialising in the office.

However’s position in the sentence is a little bit more flexible. We can put it at the beginning of our sentence between the subject and a verb or at the end of a sentence as well.

On the one hand / On the other hand

I wonder if you know this one.

On the one hand and on the other hand is a two-part phrase and it shows the difference between points of view or different facts.

• On the one hand, I’d like to earn more money.
• On the other hand, I don’t want to work 40 hours a week.

You may hear just the second part of this expression used particularly in spoken English, it’s really common for native speakers just to drop the first part and then say on the other hand, as they mentioned the alternative fact, the different fact.

You’ll also commonly hear and or but added as well. It just helps the sentence to flow better and to sound a little bit more natural.

• I’d like to earn more money but on the other hand, I don’t want to work a 40-hour week.

Yet

Now things are starting to get a little more formal.

Yet is another alternative to but. It’s a linking word just like but. We use it in exactly the same way.

• A corkscrew is a simple yet effective tool.

Just like but, yet can link two sentences, two clauses or two words of the same grammatical type together. So two adjectives, two nouns or two sentences as long as they’re the same type. And that’s why you’ll always find but and yet in the middle of a sentence.

• The cafe was busy yet calm.

Yet is definitely more formal than but, we use it to draw attention to something, an interesting fact or maybe an observation and because it’s a little less common than but, it’s gonna help you to sound a little more formal while you’re speaking or you’re writing.

Conversely

Conversely. Is that new for you? Conversely means in an opposite way. We can use it to introduce a statement that is the opposite of what we’ve just said.

• In 2020 parts of Australia experienced terrible bushfires. Conversely, those same areas are now experiencing flooding.

Conversely can be quite formal and so it’s often used in written English, not usually spoken.

Nevertheless

Nevertheless is a much more formal way of saying but. Can you say it with me? Nevertheless.

It’s used in writing and especially in academic English. It would probably sound a little bit strange if you just slipped that into an everyday conversation with someone, your neighbour for example.

Nevertheless is an adverb so we can place it in a few different parts of our English sentences. It can come at the beginning of a clause.

• We had a tiny chance of winning that match. Nevertheless, the loss was still disappointing.

Or we can put it at the end of a sentence.

• We had a tiny chance of winning that match. The loss was disappointing nevertheless.

Sometimes we use but not to exclude something or not include it.

• The library is open daily but not Sundays.

So the library is open every day excluding Sunday.

So when this is the case, we can replace but not with a number of different expressions and we’re going to focus on those now.

• Except for
• Apart from
• Excluding
• Bar

Except for
Apart from

Except for and apart from are definitely less formal and they’re quite neutral as well. You can use them in both formal and informal situations.

• I’ve just finished all the presentation slides except for the last two.

Bar

Bar, on the other hand, is the most formal. You would probably use it at a work setting, you know in a professional context or perhaps informal or academic writing.

Have you heard of this word before? Have you heard it used in this way?

• I finished all the presentation slides bar the last two.

So that’s it! Twelve alternatives to but. But is so common in English and it means that learning some of these alternatives will really help you to step up your conversation skills.

And if that sounds like something you want to do make sure you check out this lesson next. Hit subscribe, give this video a like.

Thank you for being here. I’ll see you in the next lesson!

mmmEnglish Video Lessons are a series of video lessons created to build confidence in English learners and focus on English in daily life. Download them and watch them anywhere! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be the first to get my new videos, and come and say hi on my Facebook page!!