But vs Whereas

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

But

High-frequency chunk A1 conjunction

Whereas

Formal Top 5,000 (fairly common) B2 conjunction

Most formal: Whereas Most common: But

	But	Whereas
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/bət//bʌt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/bət//bʌt/"]/ Hear But	🇬🇧 /["/ˌweərˈæz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˌwerˈæz/"]/ Hear Whereas
Meaning	Used to show contrast or exception.	used to show a contrast between two things
Example	I wanted to go, but it started to rain.	Some of the studies show positive results, whereas others do not.
Register	Neutral	Formal
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR level	A1	B2
Part of speech	conjunction	conjunction
Collocations	but I thought, but what about, but still, but then, but also	whereas some, whereas others, whereas in contrast
Antonyms	and, or	similarly, likewise
Common mistakes	Confusing 'but' with 'and' when showing contrast., Starting a sentence with 'but' in very formal writing., Using a comma before 'but' when the clauses are very short.	Confusing 'whereas' with 'while' in informal contexts., Using 'whereas' without a complete clause following it., Overusing 'whereas' instead of simpler conjunctions in casual writing.
Usage notes	'But' is used to connect two contrasting ideas. It’s appropriate in both spoken and written English but may sound abrupt in very formal writing.	Often used in academic or formal writing to compare two contrasting ideas or situations. It's less common in everyday conversation.

Frequently asked questions: But vs Whereas

What's the difference between But and Whereas?

But: Used to show contrast or exception. Whereas: used to show a contrast between two things

Which is more formal: But and Whereas?

Whereas is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: But and Whereas?

But is the most common in everyday English.

Are But and Whereas the same CEFR level?

But: A1, Whereas: B2 on the CEFR scale.

Can I use But and Whereas interchangeably?

Not always. But and Whereas are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.