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

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Etymology

Origin of exceptionally

exceptional ( def. ) + -ly

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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

Athene told the Journal the annuity performed exceptionally well and called the stock comparison misleading.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

Instead, the researchers selected 15 exceptionally pristine, small, distant galaxies.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026

Naturally occurring pink diamonds are exceptionally rare and often sell for tens of millions of dollars.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

They were, in a word, exceptionally schooled figure drawings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

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

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

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Related Words

• abnormally

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