exception

American  

[ik-sep-shuhn] / ɪkˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

• exceptions
  plural

1. 

   the act of excepting or the fact of being excepted.

2. something excepted; an instance or case not conforming to the general rule.

3. an adverse criticism, especially on a particular point; opposition of opinion; objection; demurral.

   a statement liable to exception.

4. Law.

   1. an objection, as to a ruling of the court in the course of a trial.

   2. a notation that an objection is preserved for purposes of appeal.

      saving an exception.

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idioms

1. take exception,

   1. to make an objection; demur.

      They took exception to several points in the contract.

   2. to take offense.

      She took exception to what I said about her brother.

exception British  

/ ɪkˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the act of excepting or fact of being excepted; omission

2. anything excluded from or not in conformance with a general rule, principle, class, etc

3. criticism, esp when it is adverse; objection

4. law (formerly) a formal objection in the course of legal proceedings

5. law a clause or term in a document that restricts the usual legal effect of the document

6. 1. (usually foll by to) to make objections (to); demur (at)

   2. (often foll by at) to be offended (by); be resentful (at)

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exception More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing exception

• except for (with the exception of)
• make an exception
• take exception to

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preexception
  noun
• exceptionless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• exceptions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of exception

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English excepcioun, from Latin exceptiōn-, stem of exceptiō; equivalent to except ¹ + -ion

Explanation

An exception is something that is left out or not done on purpose. An exception to a rule does not follow that rule. This word is used for all sorts of things that are not usual or usually allowed. The saying ”i before e except after c,” is about an exception to a spelling rule. If you run every day but take Saturdays off, you're making an exception. If your teacher punishes you for being late even though you have an excuse, she might say, "I'm sorry, but I can't make an exception." When you see exception, think "Something different than usual is happening."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

exception exceptions

A frontbencher said: "With the possible exception of our position on Trump, you could characterise most of our press lines as 'a Lib Dem spokesperson said, steady on now, gently does it'."

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Regents heard that math performance is the exception to otherwise strong academic results among first-year students.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

There is an exception to that new limitation for homes located on agricultural property.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

But he is now prepared to acknowledge that Smith is the exception.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Without exception they were confusing—or we were dull.

From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya

You got into hip-hop when it was a subculture, and now, with some exceptions, it’s back on the commercial margins.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Many state abortion bans include exceptions for ectopic pregnancies.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Harris and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose rapid ascent one Democratic strategist has called “eerily similar” to Obama’s, may be the only exceptions.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

Those exceptions underline just how extraordinary Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had to be.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

And the two exceptions were both women, both black, both old.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• anomaly
• exemption
• oddity
• privilege