exceptional
Americanadjective
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forming an exception or rare instance; unusual; extraordinary.
The warm weather was exceptional for January.
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unusually excellent; superior.
an exceptional violinist.
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Education. (of a child)
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being intellectually gifted.
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being physically or especially mentally disabled to an extent that special schooling is required.
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adjective
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forming an exception; not ordinary
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having much more than average intelligence, ability, or skill
Synonym Usage
See irregular.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exceptional
Explanation
Generally, exceptional is a compliment––"the concert was exceptional" means it was better than what could have been expected. But it can also just mean unusual. "Maria gets to skip gym, but hers is an exceptional case." Exceptional begins with the Latin prefix ex- 'out,' because something exceptional stands out in some way. In certain cases, exceptional can mean under-performing. Children with special educational needs are sometimes referred to in this way, as exceptional or special.
Vocabulary lists containing exceptional
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Between the World and Me
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Because of Mr. Terupt
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That exceptional preservation has made Pedrera de Meià an important site for studying Lower Cretaceous fish, amphibians, reptiles, and plants.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
“The size will stop being the signal. What now becomes the signal is the brand, is the story, is the exceptional craftsmanship.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
But the ultimate goal should be a culture in which such courage is ordinary, not exceptional.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
“If you see it, that’s just a really unique and kind of exceptional sighting,” he said of the whale shark.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
He had known they were getting sharp, but now he knew in no uncertain terms that he had the makings of something exceptional in his boat.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
