Meaning & use
exception
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Meanings
nouncountable
A person, thing, or case that does not follow a rule or fit a general statement.
Grammar: Often used with to or with an article: an exception to the rule.
Patterns
- an exception to something
- with the exception of something
- make an exception
Most of my classes are easy, but chemistry is an exception.
The school made an exception and let her enter late.
Every rule seems to have an exception.
noununcountableformal
An objection or strong dislike, found in the phrase take exception to.
Grammar: Only in the phrase take exception to something.
Patterns
- take exception to something
He took exception to the way she spoke about his work.
I take exception to being called lazy.
Several viewers took exception to the host's joke.
nouncountablecomputing
In programming, an error event that interrupts a program's normal running.
Grammar: Often used with throw or catch.
Patterns
- throw an exception
- handle an exception
The program threw an exception when the file was missing.
You need to catch the exception to stop the crash.
Logging each exception helped the team find the bug.
Word forms
| plural | exceptions |
|---|
Common combinations
- make an exception
- The teacher made an exception for the sick student.
- with the exception of
- Everyone came with the exception of Jon.
- without exception
- All employees, without exception, must sign in.
- take exception to
- She took exception to the criticism.
- the exception rather than the rule
- Snow here is the exception rather than the rule.
- rare exception
- With rare exceptions, the shop opens at nine.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exclusion
- Exclusion is the act of leaving something out, whereas an exception is the item left out.
- anomaly
- Anomaly suggests something strange or unexpected, while exception is just outside the rule.
- special case
- Special case is more informal and suggests the item needs different handling.
Opposites
Word family
- exceptional adjective
- unusually good or outstanding
- exceptionally adverb
- to an unusual degree
- exceptionable adjective
- open to objection
- unexceptional adjective
- ordinary and not special
Commonly confused: exception or exemption?
exception vs exemption
An exemption is official freedom from a duty, such as tax; an exception is simply a case outside a rule.
Practice
Everyone passed the test ___ one student who was absent.
Choose one answer.
With the exception of means except for. The other options do not fit the grammar of this sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exception”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.