How to pronounce except

Say it like this: /ɪkˈsɛpt/. Listen to real recordings below and compare how it sounds in different accents.

American/ɪkˈsɛpt/
British/ɪkˈsɛpt/

What does except mean?

verbTo exclude; to specify as being an exception.

“I find most people annoying — present company excepted, of course!”

To take exception, to object (to or against).

“to except to a witness or his testimony”

prepUsed to introduce an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

“There was nothing in the cupboard except a tin of beans.”

conjUsed to introduce a clause, phrase, verb infinitive, adverb or other non-noun complement forming an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

“I never made fun of her except teasingly.”

Loosely, used to introduce a contrastive statement explaining why something wasn't successful, didn't happen, etc.

“I almost walked out, except I remembered the promise I had made.”

Unless; used to introduce a hypothetical case in which an exception may exist.

“Offensive wars, except the cause be very just, I will not allow of.”

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examexaminationexampleexcellentexceptionexchangeexcitingexclusive

Pronunciations and meanings from Wiktionary via kaikki.org, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Recordings by Wikimedia Commons contributors. This page is shared under the same license.