noun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing exclusion
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
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Promises to Keep
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Geography and World Regions
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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.
They have also called for a more diverse teaching workforce and more mentors for those at risk of exclusion.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
And it would give the American public, who increasingly distrust the technology and the companies behind it, a sense of ownership and wonderment rather than exclusion and worry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
The proposed billionaire tax would have such an exclusion.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
Ankara's F-35 exclusion has forced it to refocus on self-sufficiency.
From Barron's • Jul. 5, 2026
My exclusion is tangible, as if concrete walls have formed around me.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
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.
