exempt
Americanverb (used with object)
-
exempts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
exempted,
past participle, past
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exempting
present participle
adjective
-
released from, or not subject to, a particular obligation or liability, such as income tax.
Charities and other exempt organizations must still file an information return with the IRS.
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U.S. Law. relating to or being an employee to whom certain obligations imposed on employers under the Fair Labor Standards Act do not apply, generally because skill level and remuneration are relatively high or work is of a kind that cannot be strictly scheduled.
Executive employees and creative professionals are among those considered exempt under the FLSA.
noun
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a person who is exempt from an obligation, duty, etc.
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(in Britain) exon.
verb
adjective
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freed from or not subject to an obligation, liability, tax, etc; excused
exempt gilts
tax-exempt bonus
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obsolete set apart; remote
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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exemptionnoun
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preexemptverb (used with object)
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exemptibleadjective
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nonexemptadjective
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quasi-exemptadjective
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unexemptadjective
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unexemptedadjective
-
unexemptibleadjective
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unexemptingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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exemptsimple
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exemptssimple
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have exemptedperfect
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has exemptedperfect
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am exemptingprogressive
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are exemptingprogressive
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is exemptingprogressive
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have been exemptingperfect progressive
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has been exemptingperfect progressive
Past
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exemptedsimple
-
had exemptedperfect
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was exemptingprogressive
-
were exemptingprogressive
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had been exemptingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of exempt
First recorded in 1325–75; (adjective) Middle English, from Old French, from Latin exemptus, past participle of eximere “to take out, free, release,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + emptus (past participle of emere “to buy, obtain”); (verb) late Middle English exempten, from Old French exempter, derivative of adjective exempt
Explanation
If your accountant tells you that you’re exempt from taxes this year, give him a big hug. He is saying that you don’t have to pay taxes. The adjective exempt traces back to the Latin word exemptus, meaning “to remove or take out” or “to free”. So if you are exempt, you are free of an obligation that others have to fulfill, such as paying taxes. But you can also be exempt from having to obey certain rules, like seniors being exempt from having to sell candy bars for a school fundraiser.
Vocabulary lists containing exempt
Power Prefix: ex-
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The Giver
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Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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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.
See Examples For:
Raman tried to exempt newly built apartment complexes, but her proposal fizzled out in the City Council.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
"Choosing Shell does not exempt the other companies from being prosecuted in the near future."
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
In 2024, developers pulled a ballot measure to exempt the project from county anti-sprawl rules when polling showed it heading for defeat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
He signed up to defend Ukraine when Russia invaded even though he had several children and was exempt - and fought until December 2023.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
His status made him exempt from the state-mandated competency tests that were a requirement for a high school diploma, and he had never taken college boards.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
The aggravated assault statute under which she was charged exempts situations in which displaying a firearm is “reasonably necessary” for self-defense.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026
It will also amend a 2024 act so that it exempts all road refrigerant appliances used to transport goods from new leak requirements for HFCs.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
Last year, the company initiated the pilot to prescribe refills in Utah through a “regulatory sandbox” program that temporarily exempts Doctronic from certain state laws so its system can be tested.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
“The President’s proclamation clearly exempts athletes and necessary support personnel for ‘major sporting events.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026
Thus, for instance, one enactment of Constantine exempts the Christian clergy from certain onerous duties, while another secures to the Pagan priests this same privilege.
From Sermons by J. B. Lightfoot
Among the key revisions, independent filmmakers would be exempted from the $5 million state corporate tax credit cap that was approved earlier this year as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state budget.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The rule previously exempted retailers from paying import duties on packages sent to the U.S. valued at less than $800.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
Congress later exempted “bona fide” newscasts, interviews, documentaries and events to ensure the rule wouldn’t suppress political coverage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Additionally, candidates are exempted from including some assets, such as personal residences or vehicles.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
But Nathan had always been exempted, as an indispensible worker—not for the Lord, but for King Cotton.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Barely half of borrowers made even a single payment last year, mostly because their earnings fell below the repayment threshold, exempting them from repaying at all.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Over the weekend, the Ministry of Justice said that exempting more prisoners from early release risked "prisons reaching capacity and collapsing".
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The researchers suggested each local groundwater agency identify the smaller farmers, consider exempting those that use minimal water and set fees in a tiered system that allows growers who pump less to pay less.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
To solve this problem, Bauer-Kahan put an entertainment industry exception in the bill, exempting “printers manufactured for and sold exclusively to entertainment industry stagecraft and propmaking studios” from the software requirement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
There’s practically nothing even in the room; it’s mostly open space, exempting the shelves.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
