noun
Other Word Forms
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.
However, this capital‑gains tax exclusion typically only applies to your primary residence.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
Chau broke the government "tribal reserve" exclusion limit stretching five kilometres out to sea, dodging coastguards and marine police.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
She also framed DEI as the viewpoint “that the exclusion of historically disadvantaged groups is undesirable.”
From Slate • May 14, 2026
That is in addition to an estimated $44.5 billion the exclusion was expected to cost taxpayers before the change, according to the Tax Foundation.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
A quantum-mechanical law called the Pauli exclusion principle keeps matter from squishing itself into a point.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
