What Does "Accept" Mean?
Accept is a verb. It means to receive something willingly, to agree to something, to take on something offered, or to acknowledge something as true or valid.
- She accepted the job offer after two days of consideration. (received and agreed to)
- The committee accepted the proposal unanimously. (approved)
- He finds it difficult to accept criticism. (acknowledge without resistance)
- Please accept my apologies for the delay. (receive)
- The university accepts applications through December. (receives/processes)
- She had to accept that the situation was not going to improve. (acknowledge as true)
Accept can also carry the meaning of tolerating or including someone socially:
- The team quickly accepted the new member.
- He never felt fully accepted in that environment.
What Does "Except" Mean?
Except functions most often as a preposition meaning "not including," "other than," or "excluding." It introduces a specific exclusion from a general statement.
- Everyone attended the meeting except the manager. (the manager was not there)
- The store is open every day except Sunday.
- She answered all the questions except the last one.
- The policy applies to all employees except those on temporary contracts.
Except can also serve as a conjunction meaning "only that" or "were it not that," introducing a clause:
- I would have gone, except I had a prior commitment. (conjunction: only that / but)
- The plan was solid, except it assumed unlimited funding.
Except is occasionally used as a formal verb meaning "to exclude" — a usage that appears in legal and official contexts but rarely in general writing:
- Certain categories are excepted from the regulation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| accept | Verb | To receive, agree to, or acknowledge |
| except | Preposition / Conjunction | Not including; other than; excluding |
How to Tell Them Apart
The clearest test: ask whether you need a verb or an exclusion in the sentence.
- If you need an action — someone doing something (receiving, agreeing, acknowledging) — use accept.
- If you are excluding something from a group or statement, use except.
Another approach: try substituting "excluding" or "other than" into the sentence. If it works, use except. If not, and you need a verb, use accept.
- Everyone was there [excluding] the director. → Everyone was there except the director. ✓
- She [excluding] the offer. → Does not work → She accepted the offer. ✓
Common Errors
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I except your apology. | I accept your apology. | Receiving an apology is an action; a verb is needed. |
| Everyone came accept John. | Everyone came except John. | John is being excluded; a preposition is needed. |
| The team was ready accept for one issue. | The team was ready except for one issue. | The issue is an exclusion from "ready." |
| She couldn't except the diagnosis. | She couldn't accept the diagnosis. | Acknowledging/receiving a diagnosis requires the verb. |
| All policies apply, accept for this clause. | All policies apply, except for this clause. | The clause is excluded from the general rule. |
"Except for" vs. "Accept for"
The phrase except for is a standard prepositional phrase meaning "with the exclusion of": The trip was perfect, except for the weather. There is no phrase accept for in standard English — any time you might think you want accept for, the correct phrase is except for.
Related Words: "Acceptance" and "Exception"
The noun forms reinforce the distinction. Acceptance (from accept) means the act of receiving or agreeing: His acceptance of the award was brief and gracious. Exception (from except) means an exclusion or a case that does not follow the general rule: There are no exceptions to this policy. Keeping these noun forms in mind can help you choose the correct verb or preposition when writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "present company excepted" correct?
Yes. Present company excepted is a fixed phrase meaning "not including the people here now." It uses the formal verb form of except (to exclude). The phrase is often added parenthetically to a general negative statement: Most people in that field, present company excepted, overlook this detail.
Can "except" be used as a verb?
Yes, though this use is formal and uncommon in everyday writing. To except means to exclude from a category: The judge excepted those claims from the ruling. This is where the phrase present company excepted comes from. In most writing, exclude or exempt is used instead.
What is the difference between "except" and "besides"?
Except excludes — it subtracts from the group. Besides adds — it means "in addition to": Everyone was there except the manager (the manager was absent) vs. Everyone was there besides the manager (the manager was also there, plus everyone else). The two words point in opposite directions.