exceptional
Americanadjective
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forming an exception or rare instance; unusual; extraordinary.
The warm weather was exceptional for January.
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unusually excellent; superior.
an exceptional violinist.
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Education. (of a child)
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being intellectually gifted.
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being physically or especially mentally disabled to an extent that special schooling is required.
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adjective
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forming an exception; not ordinary
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having much more than average intelligence, ability, or skill
Synonym Usage
See irregular.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exceptional
Explanation
Generally, exceptional is a compliment––"the concert was exceptional" means it was better than what could have been expected. But it can also just mean unusual. "Maria gets to skip gym, but hers is an exceptional case." Exceptional begins with the Latin prefix ex- 'out,' because something exceptional stands out in some way. In certain cases, exceptional can mean under-performing. Children with special educational needs are sometimes referred to in this way, as exceptional or special.
Vocabulary lists containing exceptional
Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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Because of Mr. Terupt
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Between the World and Me
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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.
Chiefs quarterback and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes was in exceptional form, completing 23 of his 30 passes for 272 yards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
Many longtime residents have developed habits to calm their minds during these exceptional conditions — meditation, a dip in the ocean to trigger the calming mammalian dive response, support groups to talk through the pain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
In their article, however, von Foerster and his co-authors argued that as far as populations go, humans may be exceptional.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
"Hurzeler has come out the other side and the way he has got this group of players performing is exceptional."
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Don’t use this word to refer to something unusual, uncommon, odd, unexpected, rare, exceptional, curious, irregular, offbeat, or surprising.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
