exclusive
Americanadjective
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not admitting of something else; incompatible.
mutually exclusive plans of action.
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omitting from consideration or account (often followed byof ).
a profit of ten percent, exclusive of taxes.
- Antonyms:
- inclusive
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limited to the object or objects designated.
exclusive attention to business.
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shutting out all others from a part or share.
an exclusive right to film the novel.
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to patronize only the most exclusive clothing designers.
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charging comparatively high prices; expensive.
exclusive shops.
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noting that in which no others have a share.
exclusive information.
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single or sole.
the exclusive means of communication between two places.
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disposed to resist the admission of outsiders to association, intimacy, etc..
an exclusive circle of intimate friends.
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admitting only members of a socially restricted or very carefully selected group.
an exclusive club.
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excluding or tending to exclude or prohibit, as from use or possession.
exclusive laws;
exclusive restrictions on use of the property.
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Grammar. (of the first person plural) not including the person or persons spoken to, as we in We'll see you later.
noun
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Journalism. a piece of news, or the reporting of a piece of news, obtained by a newspaper or other news organization, along with the privilege of using it first.
-
an exclusive right or privilege.
to have an exclusive on providing fuel oil to the area.
adjective
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excluding all else; rejecting other considerations, possibilities, events, etc
an exclusive preoccupation with money
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belonging to a particular individual or group and to no other; not shared
exclusive rights
an exclusive story
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belonging to or catering for a privileged minority, esp a fashionable clique
an exclusive restaurant
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limited (to); found only (in)
this model is exclusive to Harrods
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single; unique; only
the exclusive means of transport on the island was the bicycle
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separate and incompatible
mutually exclusive principles
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(immediately postpositive) not including the numbers, dates, letters, etc, mentioned
1980–84 exclusive
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except (for); not taking account (of)
exclusive of bonus payments, you will earn this amount
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commerce (of a contract, agreement, etc) binding the parties to do business only with each other with respect to a class of goods or services
-
logic (of a disjunction) true if only one rather than both of its component propositions is true Compare inclusive
noun
Usage
What does exclusive mean? Exclusive is most commonly used to describe things that are limited to certain people.Exclusive can be thought of as an adjective form of the verb exclude, which means to shut out or keep out—the opposite of include. It can be applied in many different contexts, but almost all of them have to do with there being a limit on something, especially on how many people have access to something.Exclusive can also be used as a noun referring to something that is available from only one place, especially a news story that is only being reported by a particular news organization or a product that is only being offered by one store.Example: The highly exclusive event was only for A-list celebrities, but they let Ryan Reynolds in for some reason.
Other Word Forms
- exclusively adverb
- exclusiveness noun
- exclusivity noun
- nonexclusive adjective
- preexclusive adjective
- semiexclusive adjective
- ultraexclusive adjective
- unexclusive adjective
Etymology
Origin of exclusive
First recorded in 1400–50; 1900–05 exclusive for def. 13; (adjective) late Middle English from Medieval Latin exclūsīvus; exclusion, -ive
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.
She fell into an exclusive relationship with her future husband, Eric, at 19.
From Los Angeles Times
“Located on one of Malibu’s most desirable stretches of coastline, this exceptional burn lot offers a rare opportunity to build your dream home on the sands of exclusive La Costa Beach,” the listing states.
From MarketWatch
“He was not exclusive and he was not an elitist, “ Savannah said.
From Los Angeles Times
Many new branded schemes feature private members' clubs, wellness facilities and exclusive services - from chauffeured cars and yacht access, to private jet partnerships.
From BBC
This has led to more frequent clashes with Greece and Cyprus over exclusive economic zones and continental shelf boundaries.
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.
