exceptionally

American  

[ik-sep-shuh-nuh-lee] / ɪkˈsɛp ʃə nə li /

adverb

1. in a way or to a degree that is unusual or extraordinary; extremely.

   The combination of an exceptionally high tide and a devastating storm surge has wreaked havoc on coastal communities.

   In the photo, a young woman sits on the floor of a small shanty in an exceptionally impoverished neighborhood.

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Other Word Forms

• nonexceptionally
  adverb
• preexceptionally
  adverb
• quasi-exceptionally
  adverb
• superexceptionally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of exceptionally

exceptional ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

A walk in the park is nice, but it’s exceptionally nice on a beautiful spring day when the weather is perfect, flowers are blooming, and birds are singing. Think of the word exceptionally as a magic wand that upgrades adjectives from ordinary to extraordinary. For example, a good day could just be a pleasant day when nothing bad happens, but an exceptionally good day would be closer to having the best day of your life. While exceptionally usually carries a positive meaning, it can also be used to describe something that is particularly unusual, like an exceptionally large shrimp.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

exceptionally

Individually, they are stylists with distinct musical personalities, but they are exceptionally practiced in fitting in not only with each other but also with the orchestra at large.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Most notably, “Not Built in a Day” lacks any deep reckoning with the question of why the Romans built such an exceptionally vast and enduring slave system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Soft tissue is exceptionally uncommon in fossils of early echinoderms, the larger animal group that includes crinoids and starfish.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026

Today, surviving examples are "exceptionally scarce", according to antique shop WeBuyVintage, which has valued the item at £2,500.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

He had been big like Zeke, an exceptionally tall lizard.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness

Related Words

• abnormally