exceptional

adjective

ex·​cep·​tion·​al ik-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce exceptional (audio)
Synonyms of exceptional
1
: forming an exception : rare
an exceptional number of rainy days
2
: better than average : superior
exceptional skill
3
: deviating from the norm: such as
a
: having above or below average intelligence
b
: physically disabled
exceptionality
ik-ˌsep-shə-ˈna-lə-tē How to pronounce exceptional (audio)
noun
exceptionalness noun

Synonyms of exceptional

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of exceptional in a Sentence

We're bending the rules for this exceptional situation. an exceptional student in math The seafood dishes at this restaurant are exceptional. a separate school for exceptional children
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Presented annually since 2003, the award recognizes a film professional or organization for exceptional contributions to Asian cinema — a description the Busan festival said Yeoh has readily fulfilled across her four-decade career in movies. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026 For decades, the town has been a preferred, if slightly under-the-radar, address for tech founders, venture capitalists, and business executives drawn to its estate-sized lots, exceptional privacy, and proximity to Silicon Valley and San Francisco. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2026 While some are exceptional at understanding large, mature codebases, others excel at rapid prototyping, automation or conversational technical assistance. — Amrit Jassal, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The annual award honors an Asian film professional or organization for exceptional contributions to the advancement of Asian cinema. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exceptional

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exceptional was in 1787

Rhymes for exceptional

See All Rhymes for exceptional

Browse Nearby Words

exceptionable
exceptional
exceptionalism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exceptional. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

exceptional

adjective
ex·​cep·​tion·​al ik-ˈsep-shnəl How to pronounce exceptional (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
1
: forming an exception : being unusual
an exceptional amount of rain
2
: better than average : superior
an exceptional student in math
exceptionally
-ē
adverb
exceptionalness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on exceptional

Nglish: Translation of exceptional for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All