Meaning & use
exceptional
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Unusually excellent or outstanding, standing well above the ordinary level.
Grammar: Gradable; more exceptional and most exceptional are common.
Patterns
- exceptional quality
- exceptional talent
- an exceptional result
The chef showed exceptional skill with simple ingredients.
Her exceptional memory made her a valuable quiz teammate.
This was an exceptional year for the community garden.
adjectivebefore a noun
Unusual or atypical rather than excellent, especially in fixed phrases.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun in phrases like exceptional circumstances.
Patterns
- exceptional circumstances
- exceptional cases
- exceptional items
The judge allowed extra time because of exceptional circumstances.
These are exceptional cases, not the normal rule.
The budget listed the flood repairs as exceptional items.
Word forms
| comparative | more exceptional |
|---|---|
| superlative | most exceptional |
Common combinations
- exceptional talent
- The young violinist has exceptional talent.
- exceptional circumstances
- You may apply late only in exceptional circumstances.
- exceptional quality
- The coat is expensive because of its exceptional quality.
- an exceptional opportunity
- Studying abroad was an exceptional opportunity for her.
Synonyms and how they differ
- outstanding
- Outstanding stresses clearly standing out from others; exceptional is close and often slightly more formal.
- remarkable
- Remarkable emphasizes worthy of notice and can be good or simply unusual; exceptional more often praises high quality.
- extraordinary
- Extraordinary means beyond the ordinary and can be positive or neutral; exceptional is usually stronger praise in the main sense.
Opposites
Word family
- exception noun
- Someone or something that does not follow the usual rule.
- exceptionally adverb
- To an unusually great degree; very.
- except preposition
- Leaving out or not including.
Commonly confused: exceptional or exceptionable?
exceptional vs exceptionable
Exceptionable is rare and means objectionable or likely to be criticized, not outstanding.
Practice
In which sentence does exceptional mean unusually good rather than merely unusual?
Choose one answer.
Only the first sentence praises outstanding courage. The other sentences use exceptional to mean unusual or outside the normal rule.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exceptional”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.