# exception

/ɪkˈsɛpʃən/ (US) · /ɛksˈɛpʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/exception
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. someone or something that is different

noun · CEFR B1

someone or something that does not follow a rule or fit into a general group.

For teachers: an instance or case that does not conform to a general rule or category.

- 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'.

### 2. the act of leaving something out

noun · CEFR B2

the act of not including someone or something in a group or rule.

For teachers: the act of excepting or excluding something from a general statement or requirement.

- 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'.

### 3. to be offended

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

to feel annoyed or offended by something someone said or did.

For teachers: 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'.

### 4. a software error

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a problem or error that happens while a computer program is running.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- Most students passed the test, but he was the exception.
- The museum is usually closed on Mondays, but they make an exception for national holidays.
- While the software is designed to handle standard data inputs, it must also include robust protocols for every possible exception to prevent the system from crashing during a processing error.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.