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.
“He went from a good player seven, eight, nine months ago, a year ago,” Dino said, “to really an exceptional, top prospect for me.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026
Gauff is an exceptional athlete who is able to move quickly around the court, but her footwork is not necessarily fluid when setting up shots from the baseline.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
They hope to determine whether strange metals could eventually become useful for quantum technologies, including highly sensitive quantum metrology systems capable of detecting extremely small signals with exceptional precision.
From Science Daily • Jul. 8, 2026
He said the market was now "priced for perfection. Good is no longer good enough. Even exceptional is not enough".
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
A successful quest for Olympic gold would require finding nine young men of exceptional strength, grace, endurance, and most of all mental toughness.
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.
