exempt
Americanverb (used with object)
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
-
exemptibleadjective
-
quasi-exemptadjective
-
unexemptadjective
-
unexemptibleadjective
-
unexemptingadjective
-
unexemptedadjective
-
nonexemptadjective
-
exemptionnoun
-
preexemptverb (used with object)
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have exemptedperfect
-
has exemptedperfect 3rd person singular
-
has been exemptingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
is exemptingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
have been exemptingperfect progressive
-
exemptssingular 3rd person
-
am exemptingprogressive 1st person singular
-
exemptingparticiple
-
are exemptingprogressive
Past
-
had exemptedperfect
-
had been exemptingperfect progressive
-
were exemptingprogressive plural
-
exemptedsimple
-
exemptedparticiple
-
was exemptingprogressive singular
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.
The letter said that the federal government was planning “office and operations space” there and that it should be exempt from local zoning and planning review.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
And they want the law changed so that large Sikh ceremonial knives are not exempt from the rules on carrying weapons.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Most pubs in England are licensed to sell alcohol starting from 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., but those past airport security are exempt from the rules.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Must a transportation worker like Brock himself cross state borders or directly interact with a vehicle that crosses state lines to be “engaged in interstate commerce” and thus exempt from arbitration?
From Slate • Jun. 3, 2026
All of them, to varying degrees, were exempt from the law.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
