Except Meaning
/ɪkˈsɛpt/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo exclude; to specify as being an exception.
verbTo take exception, to object (to or against).
Sentence Examples
Except that here, it's not so simple.
Democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried.
I didn't tell him anything except that I needed the money.
CEFR Practice Quiz
All team members attended the meeting ____ the manager who was sick.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The store is open every day of the week ____ for major public holidays.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Middle French excepter, from Latin exceptus.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But this [ban on circumcision] must have been a provocation, as the emperor Antoninus Pius later acknowledged by excepting the Jews."
— 2007, Glen Bowersock, “Provocateur”, in London Review of Books, 29:4, page 17:
"Except thou wilt except against my love."
— c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
"The Athenians might fairly except against the practise of Democritus to be buried up in honey; as fearing to embezzle a great commodity of their Countrey"
— 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, Urne-Burial, Penguin, published 2005, page 23:
"he was a great lover of music, and perhaps, had he lived in town, might have passed for a connoisseur; for he always excepted against the finest compositions of Mr Handel."
— 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
"Except that he is wearing polka-dot drawers, he is buck naked."
— 1983, Paul T. Rogers, Saul's Book:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
All team members attended the meeting ____ the manager who was sick.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The store is open every day of the week ____ for major public holidays.