mutually exclusive

[ myoo-choo-uh-lee ik-skloo-siv, -ziv ]

/ ˈmyu tʃu ə li ɪkˈsklu sɪv, -zɪv /

Save This Word!

adjective

of or relating to a situation involving two or more events, possibilities, etc., in which the occurrence of one precludes the occurrence of the other: mutually exclusive plans of action.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mutually exclusive

First recorded in 1870–75

Words nearby mutually exclusive

mutual insurance company, mutualism, mutuality, mutualize, mutually, mutually exclusive, mutual savings bank, mutuel, mutule, muumuu, muxe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE

What does mutually exclusive mean?

Describing two things as mutually exclusive means that they can’t both exist, be true, or happen at the same time.

In most cases, the phrase implies that one of the things prevents the other from happening or being true, or that both things prevent each other from happening or being true.

Mutually exclusive is often used in negative constructions about things that are said to be not mutually exclusive—meaning they can both happen or be true at the same time.

Example: Kindness and a good business sense are not mutually exclusive—it’s possible to be financially successful without being a jerk.

Where does mutually exclusive come from?

The first records of the phrase mutually exclusive come from the 1870s. In mutually exclusive, mutually is used in the sense of a reciprocal relationship (one that involves a pair in which each part impacts the other), and exclusive is used to indicate that something is being excluded or precluded from happening or being true.

Mutually exclusive is sometimes used in the context of logic and probability. In logic, it’s used to describe two statements (also called propositions) that are completely incompatible with each other. For example, “It is Monday” and “It is Friday” are mutually exclusive propositions. In probability, mutually exclusive scenarios are those in which one option blocks the other from happening (like rolling a die and getting a certain number, which precludes you from getting any of the other numbers on the die).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to mutually exclusive?

mutual exclusion (noun)
mutual exclusivity (noun)
mutual exclusiveness (noun)
mutually exclude (verb)

What are some synonyms for mutually exclusive?

What are some words that share a root or word element with mutually exclusive?

What are some words that often get used in discussing mutually exclusive?

How is mutually exclusive used in real life?

Mutually exclusive can be used in all kinds of contexts, but it’s commonly used in the context of events, plans, and personal traits.

Huh.. either I will be able to eat breakfast or be punctual. Mutually exclusive things.

— Astik Kulkarni (@AstikKulkarni) February 4, 2021

I just want everyone to understand for certain that lived mental illness experience and success as an academic and/or practicing clinical psychologist are NOT mutually exclusive.

— Dr. Jessica Schleider (@JSchleiderPhD) February 8, 2021

Just a reminder that I am a trans ally.

I support the rights of trans & non binary folks to live equal, safe & joyful lives.

Also, we need more accessible toilets AND gender neutral toilets, they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

All of us need to pee.

— Dr Amy Kavanagh👩🏼‍🦯 🦮 (@BlondeHistorian) March 4, 2020

Try using mutually exclusive!

Which of the following pair of scenarios involves two mutually exclusive things?

A. Owning a cat and owning a turtle
B. Liking chocolate and liking vanilla
C. Being alive and being dead
D. Having brown hair and having freckles

How to use mutually exclusive in a sentence

But fun and insight are not always mutually exclusive, certainly not here.
The Best Nonfiction Books of 2014|William O’Connor|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Eurasian Customs Union and EU trade agreements are by nature mutually exclusive.
Putin’s Power Grab: First Armenia, Now Ukraine|Will Cathcart|December 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Instead of treating the Israeli and Palestinian narratives as mutually exclusive, J Street recognizes their interdependence.
My Former Life As a Kahanist Posterboy|Zack Parker|June 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He should talk about maximizing positive outcomes, moving beyond the mutually exclusive language endemic to the region.
What Obama Should Say In Jerusalem|Gil Troy|March 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST

If the positions were that mutually exclusive, the conflict would not be that complex.
U.N. Settlement Report: Perverting the Truth|Gil Troy|February 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Now, these are only a few of the long list of your objections which are directly contradictory and mutually exclusive, my friend.
The Common Sense of Socialism|John Spargo
It is, of course, impossible to reconcile these mutually exclusive abstractions either in theory or in practice.
The Behavior of Crowds|Everett Dean Martin
Some human activities and the activities and behavioral patterns of humpback whales may be mutually exclusive.
Humpback Whales in Glacier Bay National Monument, Alaska|United States Department of Commerce, Marine Mammal Commission
In discordant metaphysics, being and not being are irreconcilable and mutually exclusive contradictions.
The Positive Outcome of Philosophy|Joseph Dietzgen
The mere difference in complexity of mutually exclusive coordinate groups involves no relationship of superiority or inferiority.
The Classification of Patents|United States Patent Office