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Showing results for exclusion. Search instead for enclusion.
Synonyms

exclusion

American  
[ik-skloo-zhuhn] / ɪkˈsklu ʒən /

noun

  • exclusions
    plural
  1. an act or instance of excluding.

  2. the state of being excluded.

  3. Physiology. a keeping apart; blocking of an entrance.


exclusion British  
/ ɪkˈskluːʒən /

noun

  1. the act or an instance of excluding or the state of being excluded

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns


Etymology

Origin of exclusion

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin exclūsiōn- (stem of exclūsiō ), equivalent to exclūs(us) (past participle of exclūdere “to shut out”; see exclude) + -iōn- -ion


Explanation

An exclusion is an instance of leaving something or someone out. If you love someone to the exclusion of all others, he or she is the only one for you! Exclusion is closely related to some words that have a positive or negative feel. The word exclusive implies something is high-end, desirable, and not for ordinary people. If someone is excluded, on the other hand, it means that someone has been deliberately and painfully left out. Exclusion is more neutral. The department store that advertises a big sale often states at the bottom of the ad that "some exclusions apply," meaning the discounts don't apply to all items.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing exclusion

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:

Your father-in-law’s capital gain on the home sale is well below the applicable exclusion.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

The Supreme Court has said exclusion from an electoral roll does not amount to a determination that a person is a non-citizen.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

They added that offenders released early on licence faced the "toughest-ever controls", including exclusion zones and the expansion of electronic tagging.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

When the French socialist Louis Blanc referred to le capitalisme in 1850, he described “the appropriation of capital by some to the exclusion of others.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Devan’s exclusion must have seemed a rebuke, a punishment for some failure on his part, or perhaps for some failure of his father.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Former president Joe Biden declared the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger and Uganda ineligible on October 30, 2023, with the exclusions taking effect on January 1, 2024.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

Marsh, the biggest global insurance broker, which acts on behalf of companies negotiating with insurers, this month sounded the alarm on exclusions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

As such, some exclusions were necessary to make this List of Lists work, including year-specific rankings, gift ideas, and stuff that’s simply far too outdated.

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

In 2026, your mother can contribute up to $95,000 in one go by electing to front-load five years of annual gift-tax exclusions.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

There are also a few differences in the matter of exclusions between the two Dominions.

From The New Irish Constitution by J. H. Morgan

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