“Accept” vs. “Except”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “accept” and “except”

  • Accept is a verb, while except can be used as a preposition, conjunction, or verb.
  • Accept implies agreement or consent, while except implies exclusion or exception.
  • Accept is used to show willingness to receive or agree to something, while except is used to show exclusion or exception from a group or rule.
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What is the definition of “accept” and “except”?

Accept
  • Accept means to receive something willingly.
  • It can also refer to agreeing to a proposal or idea.
  • It is often used in the context of accepting a job or an offer.
Except
  • Except means to not include or exclude something or someone from a group.
  • It is often used in the context of making exceptions to a rule or policy.
  • It can also be used as a conjunction to introduce a clause that expresses exclusion or exception.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Accept” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
Accept
3,440,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I will accept your apology for being late.
  2. The school will only accept students who meet their academic requirements.
  3. She was pleased to accept the job offer from the big company.
Except
1,540,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I eat everything except for liver, which I cannot stand the taste of.
  2. All the men went to the basketball game, except for Robert who had to stay at work.
  3. We spent all day doing outdoor activities, except for when it rained and we had to stay inside.
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