English Reference
adjective · noun

exclusive

adj. · n.
US /ɪkˈskɫusɪv/ UK /ɛksklˈuːsɪv/ ex·clu·sive

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.limited to a specific group of people and not available to everyone.

    adj.restricting access to a specific group, often based on wealth, status, or membership criteria.

    Simple

    The hotel has an exclusive beach that only guests are allowed to use.

    In context

    The club maintains an exclusive membership policy, requiring recommendations from at least three current members before an application is even considered.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.expensive, high-quality, and often used by famous or wealthy people.

    adj.denoting high social status, luxury, or superior quality intended for an elite clientele.

    Simple

    She shops at exclusive boutiques in the center of Paris.

    In context

    The developer transformed the historic warehouse into a series of exclusive penthouses catering to the city's wealthiest investors.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.not shared with anyone else, such as a romantic relationship or a right.

    adj.not shared or divided; sole or undivided in possession or relationship.

    Simple

    After dating for six months, they decided to be exclusive.

    In context

    The company holds the exclusive rights to distribute the software throughout the European market for the next five years.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    adj.used to describe the word 'we' when it does not include the person you are talking to.

    adj.referring to the first-person plural pronoun when it excludes the addressee.

    Simple

    In some languages, there is a special 'exclusive we' that leaves out the listener.

    In context

    The researcher noted that the dialect employs an exclusive first-person plural, clearly separating the speaker's kin group from the interviewer.

    Usage

    Used in linguistics to distinguish between 'we' (me and them) and 'we' (me and you).

  5. 05 C1 Advanced General-service

    n.a story or interview published by only one newspaper or television station.

    n.an item of news or a feature published or broadcast by only one source.

    Simple

    The magazine managed to get an exclusive with the famous actor.

    In context

    The newspaper's political correspondent secured an exclusive on the cabinet reshuffle, beating all the major networks to the story.

Usage exclusive interview

Speaking to Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview for ‘Al Muqabala’, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon are a source of serious concern for Ankara.

Al Jazeera· 16 Aug 2026

In an exclusive interview with the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg, Dmitry Muratov says the Kremlin leader can only "destroy Ukraine, not conquer it", with the war now in its fifth year.

BBC News· 13 Aug 2026

From Latin exclūsīvus, from excludere (“to shut out, exclude”), from ex- (“out”) + variant form of verb claudere (“to close, shut”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated