exempt
Americanverb (used with object)
-
exempts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
exempted,
past participle, past
-
exempting
present participle
adjective
-
released from, or not subject to, a particular obligation or liability, such as income tax.
Charities and other exempt organizations must still file an information return with the IRS.
-
U.S. Law. relating to or being an employee to whom certain obligations imposed on employers under the Fair Labor Standards Act do not apply, generally because skill level and remuneration are relatively high or work is of a kind that cannot be strictly scheduled.
Executive employees and creative professionals are among those considered exempt under the FLSA.
noun
-
a person who is exempt from an obligation, duty, etc.
-
(in Britain) exon.
verb
adjective
-
freed from or not subject to an obligation, liability, tax, etc; excused
exempt gilts
tax-exempt bonus
-
obsolete set apart; remote
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
exemptionnoun
-
preexemptverb (used with object)
-
exemptibleadjective
-
nonexemptadjective
-
quasi-exemptadjective
-
unexemptadjective
-
unexemptedadjective
-
unexemptibleadjective
-
unexemptingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
exemptsimple
-
exemptssimple
-
have exemptedperfect
-
has exemptedperfect
-
am exemptingprogressive
-
are exemptingprogressive
-
is exemptingprogressive
-
have been exemptingperfect progressive
-
has been exemptingperfect progressive
Past
-
exemptedsimple
-
had exemptedperfect
-
was exemptingprogressive
-
were exemptingprogressive
-
had been exemptingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of exempt
First recorded in 1325–75; (adjective) Middle English, from Old French, from Latin exemptus, past participle of eximere “to take out, free, release,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + emptus (past participle of emere “to buy, obtain”); (verb) late Middle English exempten, from Old French exempter, derivative of adjective exempt
Explanation
If your accountant tells you that you’re exempt from taxes this year, give him a big hug. He is saying that you don’t have to pay taxes. The adjective exempt traces back to the Latin word exemptus, meaning “to remove or take out” or “to free”. So if you are exempt, you are free of an obligation that others have to fulfill, such as paying taxes. But you can also be exempt from having to obey certain rules, like seniors being exempt from having to sell candy bars for a school fundraiser.
Vocabulary lists containing exempt
Power Prefix: ex-
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Giver
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The figures come after Prime Minister Andy Burnham made more prisoners exempt from the upcoming early release scheme following backlash from victims.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Glow-in-the dark fish were exempt from her bill, which proposed civil penalties of at least $5,000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
But uniqueness doesn’t exempt college athletics from competition law.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
That means a couple that has transferred their primary home to a revocable trust—a move often made to help heirs avoid probate—should be exempt from the tax.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
He had gotten a Blauschein, a "blue sheet" or Gestapo-issued permit, added to his identification card, which we hoped would again exempt all of us from deportation.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
The aggravated assault statute under which she was charged exempts situations in which displaying a firearm is “reasonably necessary” for self-defense.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026
It will also amend a 2024 act so that it exempts all road refrigerant appliances used to transport goods from new leak requirements for HFCs, it said.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
Nevertheless, the fact that a jury decided to award the plaintiffs is notable, not because of the price tag, but because of a law that usually exempts Big Tech from lawsuits like this.
From Salon ● Apr. 16, 2026
The companies have long argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed by Congress in 1996, exempts platforms from liability for what third parties post.
From BBC ● Jan. 26, 2026
In 1260 the charter granted by Alphonse of Poitiers to the town of Auzon specially exempts the accused from torture, no matter what the crime involved.
From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume I by Henry Charles Lea
Children can still be exempted and attend school in California if they have a medical reason.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Additionally, candidates are exempted from including some assets, such as personal residences or vehicles.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
The grid owner, NIE Networks, is exempted from meeting usual supply standards during periods of severe weather.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
According to the National Federation of Independent Business, the move last year exempted more than 32 million small businesses from what the White House estimates is more than $128 billion in regulatory and compliance costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
From this moment you are exempted from rules governing rudeness.
From "The Giver" by Lois Lowry
Barely half of borrowers made even a single payment last year, mostly because their earnings fell below the repayment threshold, exempting them from repaying at all.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The researchers suggested each local groundwater agency identify the smaller farmers, consider exempting those that use minimal water and set fees in a tiered system that allows growers who pump less to pay less.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Berlin has earmarked hundreds of billions of euros for rearmament over the coming decade, exempting most defence spending from strict constitutional borrowing limits.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
The European Commission confirmed last week that Portugal and Italy do not plan on exempting British nationals from the new checks.
From BBC ● May 10, 2026
There’s practically nothing even in the room; it’s mostly open space, exempting the shelves.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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.
