When she teased him with 'I know you are, but what am I', he laughed awkwardly.

When I see stray animals, I cannot help but stop and offer them food.

After hours of watching him smile blankly, I realized the lights are on but no one's home.

The old dockhand called the messy apprentice a gurry-but, and the others shook their heads at the coarse nickname.

When discussing healthy priorities, he often quoted the proverb 'live not to eat, but eat to live' to remind us to value health over indulgence.

Don't try to fool me — I was born at night but not last night, so I can see through your lies.

Every Saturday night, my parents play a stack of oldies but goodies and everyone starts dancing.

Everyone but John attended the meeting.

He is but a child beneath the endless sky.

In her essay, she used a but to soften the criticism.