Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

exclusion

American  
[ik-skloo-zhuhn] / ɪkˈsklu ʒən /

noun

  • exclusions
    plural
  1. an act or instance of excluding.

  2. the state of being excluded.

  3. Physiology. a keeping apart; blocking of an entrance.


exclusion British  
/ ɪkˈskluːʒən /

noun

  1. the act or an instance of excluding or the state of being excluded

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of exclusion

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin exclūsiōn- (stem of exclūsiō ), equivalent to exclūs(us) (past participle of exclūdere “to shut out”; see exclude) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

An exclusion is an instance of leaving something or someone out. If you love someone to the exclusion of all others, he or she is the only one for you! Exclusion is closely related to some words that have a positive or negative feel. The word exclusive implies something is high-end, desirable, and not for ordinary people. If someone is excluded, on the other hand, it means that someone has been deliberately and painfully left out. Exclusion is more neutral. The department store that advertises a big sale often states at the bottom of the ad that "some exclusions apply," meaning the discounts don't apply to all items.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing exclusion

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.

See Examples For:

Research has found that autistic schoolchildren are subjected more to exclusion and bullying than their peers.

From BBC Aug. 28, 2026

That exclusion can shelter up to $250,000 of gain, or up to $500,000 for married couples filing jointly.

From MarketWatch Aug. 25, 2026

This could include individually assessed exclusion zones around victim's homes or workplaces and alerts that trigger police responses when conditions are breached.

From BBC Aug. 25, 2026

After applying the $20 general income exclusion, countable income would be $680.

From MarketWatch Aug. 6, 2026

The feelings of dismissal and exclusion were overwhelming and suffocating for me.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Therefore, his SSI benefit would be reduced by $680, assuming no other income or exclusions apply.

From MarketWatch Aug. 6, 2026

Eleven days before OpenAI’s disclosure, the Insurer media outlet published that Verisk’s Insurance Services Office confirmed it was weighing coverage exclusions for agentic AI.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 4, 2026

The introduction of inclusion policies has meant permanent exclusions from school are now very rare, with none at all recorded in 2024/25.

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

They allege that the final regulations for the law, drafted and approved by the state’s waste agency, include exclusions for large categories of plastic packaging that companies could use indefinitely.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 23, 2026

Mr. Grant said that "he hoped this Convention would take high grounds upon this subject and silence . . . . these inquiries into men's belief, and exclusions for opinion's sake."

From History of the Constitutions of Iowa by Benjamin F. Shambaugh

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training