mutually exclusive

American  

[myoo-choo-uh-lee ik-skloo-siv, -ziv] / ˈmyu tʃu ə li ɪkˈsklu sɪv, -zɪv /

adjective

1. 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.

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of mutually exclusive

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

They’re different concepts and can be mutually exclusive, although not always.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 20, 2025

Instead, it is an agglomeration of mutually exclusive cultures established separately on the continent at different times by different peoples, each based on its own disparate “habits, beliefs, customs, values, and ideals.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

These theories, which aren’t mutually exclusive, all predate COVID-19 and offer plausible explanations for the growing U.S. mortality disadvantage.

From Slate • Aug. 20, 2025

The two things - the concept of a favourite circuit and one where overtaking is very difficult and the racing therefore sometimes uneventful - are not mutually exclusive.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2025

There seem to be many people who simply wish to be told an answer, any answer, and thereby avoid the burden of keeping two mutually exclusive possibilities in their heads at the same time.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan