exceptionally

American

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

adverb

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.

Other Word Forms

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing exceptionally

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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.

"If this meeting goes exceptionally well, it's not going to change the trajectory that China's on," he said.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

“Nonetheless, the structural demand backdrop for CPUs remains exceptionally strong — driven by the accelerating shift to agentic AI,” Naji said in a Thursday note.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

There have been cases of altruistic surrogates changing their mind about giving up babies, though these cases are exceptionally rare.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

“Something you will find about gifted people is they have an exceptionally strong sense of justice,” Stanat recalled in a Wall Street Journal interview.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Ski Team who, although exceptionally strong, had little previous high-altitude experience.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023