Word
exception
Phoneticsex·cep·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪkˈsɛpʃən/
UK/ɛksˈɛpʃən/
Definitions
01someone or something that is different
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. someone or something that does not follow a rule or fit into a general group.
n. an instance or case that does not conform to a general rule or category.
日本語:例外※
“Most students passed the exam, but Mark was the only exception.”
“While the company usually promotes from within, they made a rare exception for a candidate with such extensive international experience.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'with the exception of'.
02the act of leaving something out
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of not including someone or something in a group or rule.
n. the act of excepting or excluding something from a general statement or requirement.
日本語:除外※
“The club has a strict dress code and they will not make an exception for anyone.”
“The policy applies to all staff members without exception, regardless of their seniority or length of service.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'make'.
Antonyms
03to be offended
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. to feel annoyed or offended by something someone said or did.
n. an objection or a feeling of being offended; used almost exclusively in the idiom 'take exception to'.
“I take exception to your comment about my work being lazy.”
“The local council took exception to the developer's claims that the project would have no impact on the surrounding environment.”
Usage
Used in the fixed phrase 'take exception to something'.
Synonyms
04a software error
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a problem or error that happens while a computer program is running.
n. an interruption in normal processing caused by an error condition, which the software is designed to catch and handle.
“The program crashed because it didn't know how to handle the exception.”
“The developer implemented a try-catch block to ensure that the application would not terminate when a null pointer exception occurred.”
Usage
Commonly used with verbs like 'throw', 'catch', or 'handle'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “exception” in context.
Adjective
01. important exception
“While most birds can fly, the penguin is an important exception to this rule.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“US tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10 percent to 12.5 percent in late July, with a few exceptions including coffee and oil.” “Increases in the number of complaints were recorded across all categories with the exception of the condition of vehicles, where the number reduced from 98 to 75.” Etymology
From Middle English exception, excepcioun, from Anglo-Norman excepcioun, from Old French excepcion, from Latin exceptiō. Equivalent to except + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
PREPOSITION
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/exception
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0