You use for all to indicate that the thing mentioned does not affect or contradict the truth of what you are saying.
For all its faults, the film instantly became a classic.
See full dictionary entry for all
for all
phrase
You use for all in phrases such as for all I know, and for all he cares, to emphasize that you do not know something or that someone does not care about something.
[emphasis]
For all we know, he may even not be in this country.
You can go right now for all I care.
See full dictionary entry for all
for all in British English
a.
in so far as; to the extent that
for all anyone knows, he was a baron
b.
notwithstanding
for all my pushing, I still couldn't move it
See full dictionary entry for all
for all in American English
in spite of; despite
See full dictionary entry for all
for all in American English
in spite of; notwithstanding
stupid for all their learning
See full dictionary entry for for
Examples of 'for all' in a sentence
for all
We thought about it for all of ten minutes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The membership fee seems rather small for all that access.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Talk about publicity for all the wrong reasons.
The Sun (2016)
It is not a legal right and can be used for all cards, not only credit cards.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He possibly wants the rapper to perform at his inauguration, but may want him as secretary for agriculture for all we know.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For all this country 's faults, there is no other feeling quite like it.
The Sun (2016)
But not, it seems, for all of us.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have all got debt, so for all I know they are all leading double lives too.
The Sun (2016)
The US now uses as much electricity to keep buildings cool as the whole of Africa uses for all its electrical needs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And it is not good news for all the country.
The Sun (2012)
These deals often include the proviso that drivers should use franchised dealers for all repairs and servicing.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You want to fight for all coaches because most have been very good to me.
The Sun (2016)
This leads to a genuine relationship that makes up for all that has gone before.
The Sun (2008)
It was a meeting that seemed for all the world like a chance encounter.
Paul Hyland RALEGH'S LAST JOURNEY: A Tale of Madness, Vanity and Treachery (2003)
Tickets are still on sale for all.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The time has come for all parties to recognise that peace cannot be born out of violence.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The broth is used for all meat sauces as a stock for other recipes in this book.
Conil, Jean & Conil, Christopher (ed) A Passion for Food (1989)
The same goes for all three phases.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There is clearly still an appetite for all this.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The bill for all these costs comes to more than a trillion dollars.
Chancellor, John Peril and Promise: A Commentary on America (1990)
Such memories can be both written to and read from and access times are about the same for all locations.
Samways, B. & Byrne-Jones, T. Computers Basic Facts (1983)
Built a country fit for all.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There is a foie gras option, which is almost worth coming for all on its own.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
For all they may care about the planet, they care equally about the way they look.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The band we've known for all these years.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Clubs may ask for all cash up front, which means things could get difficult.
The Sun (2011)
For all you know, they may be quietly building up a trust fund.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
When you decided to keep certain facts to yourself, it seemed best for all concerned.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The irony is that for all their pronouncements about manly freedom, they seem fairly petty.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He declared: 'We will govern for all the people of our country.
The Sun (2007)
The checklist is making me feel almost nostalgic for all the awful jobs I don't have to do.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
All related terms of 'for all'
all for
If you say that you are all for doing something, you agree or strongly believe that it should be done , but you are also often suggesting that other people disagree with you or that there are practical difficulties .
be all for
to be strongly in favour of
for all that
in spite of that
for all time
If you say that something will be the case for all time , you mean that it will always be the case.
free-for-all
A free-for-all is a situation in which several people or groups are trying to get something for themselves and there are no controls on how they do it.
all for the best
turning out to be good or fortunate after all
for all I care
I am completely indifferent
for all sb cares
You can use for all I care to emphasize that it does not matter at all to you what someone does.
once and for all
If something happens once and for all , it happens completely or finally .
all the better for
improved as a result of
for all the world
in every way; exactly
for good (and all)
for always ; finally ; permanently
for all it is worth
If someone does something for all it is worth , they do it as much as possible and for as long as they can get benefit from it.
for all sb is worth
If you do something for all you are worth , you do it with a lot of energy and enthusiasm .
for all one is worth
to the utmost ; to the full extent of one's powers or ability
go for all the marbles
to take a great risk in the hope of a great gain
go all out for/to do sth
If you go all out to do something or go all out for something, you make the greatest possible effort to do it or get it.
for good
If something changes or disappears for good , it never changes back or comes back as it was before.
for no reason/ for no reason at all
If you say that something happened or was done for no reason , for no good reason , or for no reason at all , you mean that there was no obvious reason why it happened or was done.
for all practical purposes/to all intents and purposes
You use for all practical purposes or to all intents and purposes to suggest that a situation is not exactly as you describe it, but the effect is the same as if it were.
someone would not do something for all the tea in China
said to emphasize that someone definitely does not want to do something