exempt

American  

[ig-zempt] / ɪgˈzɛmpt /

verb (used with object)

1. to free from an obligation or liability to which others are subject; release.

   A grade above B+ is required in order to exempt a student from an examination.

   Synonyms:

   except, relieve, excuse

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adjective

1. 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.

2. 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

1. a person who is exempt from an obligation, duty, etc.

2. (in Britain) exon.

exempt British  

/ ɪɡˈzɛmpt /

verb

1. (tr) to release from an obligation, liability, tax, etc; excuse

   to exempt a soldier from drill

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adjective

1. freed from or not subject to an obligation, liability, tax, etc; excused

   exempt gilts

   tax-exempt bonus

2. obsolete set apart; remote

noun

1. a person who is exempt from an obligation, tax, etc

Other Word Forms

• exemptible
  adjective
• exemption
  noun
• nonexempt
  adjective
• preexempt
  verb (used with object)
• quasi-exempt
  adjective
• unexempt
  adjective
• unexempted
  adjective
• unexemptible
  adjective
• unexempting
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

On the sensitive subject of passenger rights, the EU said airlines may be exempt from paying customers compensation if they can prove a cancelled fight was due to "extraordinary circumstances", like a local fuel shortage.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

These incidents have highlighted how the Kim family - who are treated almost as god-like figures - are often exempt from rules that apply to the rest of society.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Directly owned real estate would be exempt because it is already subject to property taxes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Small well owners are exempt, along with certain parts of the Tule area.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

A good letter could get you a position in the better cohorts, sometimes even special jobs like legion messenger, which made you exempt from the grunt work like digging ditches or conjugating Latin verbs.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• excuse
• exonerate
• free
• spare