Exception — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ik-ˈsep-shən/ ex·cep·tion

Meaning & Definition of Exception

Exception (noun)

  1. the act of excepting, exclusion
  2. one that is excepted; especially, a case to which a rule does not apply
  3. question, objection

Exception (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent

    "I take strong exception to your assessment of his singing ability"

    similar: challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, expostulation, fuss, kick, objection, protest, question, remonstrance, stink
    related: compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple, misunderstanding, cavil, niggle (chiefly British), quibble, argument, conflict, debate, dispute, dissent, hassle, quarrel, squabble, static, censure, criticism, defiance, disobedience, rebellion, distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation (archaic), incertitude, indetermination, misdoubt, mistrust, mistrustfulness, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainty, qualmishness, unease, uneasiness, reluctance, unwillingness
    near: willingness, approval, sanction, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, compliance, obedience

  2. something that is different from what is ordinary or expected

    "her tardiness today is an exception; usually she's on time"

    similar: aberration, abnormality, anomaly, oddity, oddment, rarity
    related: curiosity, peculiarity, singularity, accident, bizarrerie, phenomenon, quirk, vagary, distortion, kink, mutation, variation, difference, disparity, inconsistence, inconsistency, error, mistake, contradiction, paradox
    near: norm, ordinary, usual

Related Entry: Take exception (phrase)

Take exception is a different word from Exception. The synonyms below are for take exception, not for exception.

  1. to present an opposing opinion or argument

    "He took exception to my comments on standardized testing."

    similar: demur, except, expostulate, kick, object, protest, remonstrate, take issue
    related: cavil, quibble, challenge, dare, defy, fight, conflict, debate, dispute, hassle, quarrel, squabble, wrangle, beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, keen, maunder (chiefly British), moan, murmur, mutter, nag, repine, scream, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, whinge (British), yammer, yawp, yowl, balk, gag, stick, censure, criticize, denounce, disobey, rebel, withstand, demonstrate
    near: approve, sanction, accept, accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, adhere, comply, conform, follow, mind, obey, observe, advocate, champion, defend, maintain, support, sustain, uphold, applaud, cheer, commend

Related Entry: Taken exception (phrase)

Taken exception is a different word from Exception. The synonyms below are for taken exception, not for exception.

  1. to present an opposing opinion or argument

    "He took exception to my comments on standardized testing."

    similar: demurred, excepted, expostulated, kicked, objected, protested, remonstrated, taken issue
    related: caviled, quibbled, challenged, dared, defied, fought, conflicted, debated, disputed, hassled, quarreled, squabbled, wrangled, beefed, bellyached, bitched, bleated, carped, caterwauled, complained, crabbed, croaked, fussed, griped, grizzled, grouched, groused, growled, grumbled, grumped, hollered, keened, maundered (chiefly British), moaned, murmured, muttered, nagged, repined, screamed, squawked, squealed, wailed, whimpered, whined, whinged (British), yammered, yawped, yowled, balked, gagged, stuck, censured, criticized, denounced, disobeyed, rebelled, withstood, demonstrated
    near: approved, sanctioned, accepted, acceded, acquiesced, agreed, assented, adhered, complied, conformed, followed, minded, obeyed, observed, advocated, championed, defended, maintained, supported, sustained, upheld, applauded, cheered, commended

Related Entry: Took exception (phrase)

Took exception is a different word from Exception. The synonyms below are for took exception, not for exception.

  1. to present an opposing opinion or argument

    "He took exception to my comments on standardized testing."

    similar: demurred, excepted, expostulated, kicked, objected, protested, remonstrated, took issue
    related: caviled, quibbled, challenged, dared, defied, fought, conflicted, debated, disputed, hassled, quarreled, squabbled, wrangled, beefed, bellyached, bitched, bleated, carped, caterwauled, complained, crabbed, croaked, fussed, griped, grizzled, grouched, groused, growled, grumbled, grumped, hollered, keened, maundered (chiefly British), moaned, murmured, muttered, nagged, repined, screamed, squawked, squealed, wailed, whimpered, whined, whinged (British), yammered, yawped, yowled, balked, gagged, stuck, censured, criticized, denounced, disobeyed, rebelled, withstood, demonstrated
    near: approved, sanctioned, accepted, acceded, acquiesced, agreed, assented, adhered, complied, conformed, followed, minded, obeyed, observed, advocated, championed, defended, maintained, supported, sustained, upheld, applauded, cheered, commended

Related Entry: Takes exception (phrase)

Takes exception is a different word from Exception. The synonyms below are for takes exception, not for exception.

  1. to present an opposing opinion or argument

    "He took exception to my comments on standardized testing."

    similar: demurs, excepts, expostulates, kicks, objects, protests, remonstrates, takes issue
    related: cavils, quibbles, challenges, dares, defies, fights, conflicts, debates, disputes, hassles, quarrels, squabbles, wrangles, beefs, bellyaches, bitches, bleats, carps, caterwauls, complains, crabs, croaks, fusses, gripes, grizzles, grouches, grouses, growls, grumbles, grumps, hollers, keens, maunders (chiefly British), moans, murmurs, mutters, nags, repines, screams, squawks, squeals, wails, whimpers, whines, whinges (British), yammers, yawps, yowls, balks, gags, sticks, censures, criticizes, denounces, disobeys, rebels, withstands, demonstrates
    near: approves, sanctions, accepts, accedes, acquiesces, agrees, assents, adheres, complies, conforms, follows, minds, obeys, observes, advocates, champions, defends, maintains, supports, sustains, upholds, applauds, cheers, commends

Related Entry: Taking exception (phrase)

Taking exception is a different word from Exception. The synonyms below are for taking exception, not for exception.

  1. to present an opposing opinion or argument

    "He took exception to my comments on standardized testing."

    similar: demurring, excepting, expostulating, kicking, objecting, protesting, remonstrating, taking issue
    related: caviling, quibbling, challenging, daring, defying, fighting, conflicting, debating, disputing, hassling, quarreling, squabbling, wrangling, beefing, bellyaching, bitching, bleating, carping, caterwauling, complaining, crabbing, croaking, fussing, griping, grizzling, grouching, grousing, growling, grumbling, grumping, hollering, keening, maundering (chiefly British), moaning, murmuring, muttering, nagging, repining, screaming, squawking, squealing, wailing, whimpering, whinging (British), whining, yammering, yawping, yowling, balking, gagging, sticking, censuring, criticizing, denouncing, disobeying, rebelling, withstanding, demonstrating
    near: approving, sanctioning, accepting, acceding, acquiescing, agreeing, assenting, adhering, complying, conforming, following, minding, obeying, observing, advocating, championing, defending, maintaining, supporting, sustaining, upholding, applauding, cheering, commending

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Exception

The most common words with a similar meaning to Exception:

challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, expostulation, fuss, kick, objection, protest, question, remonstrance, stink, aberration, abnormality, anomaly, oddity, oddment, rarity

Related Words for Exception

compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple, misunderstanding, cavil, niggle, quibble, argument, conflict, debate, dispute, dissent, hassle, quarrel, squabble, static, censure, criticism, defiance, disobedience, rebellion, distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation, incertitude, indetermination, misdoubt

Near Antonyms of Exception

willingness, approval, sanction, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, compliance, obedience, norm, ordinary, usual

Word Forms of Exception

Inflections: exceptions

Origin & Etymology of Exception

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Exception

Words & Phrases Containing Exception

take exception, make an exception, no exception, the exception rather than the rule, without exception, with the exception of

Frequently Asked Questions about Exception

What does "Exception" mean?

"Exception" means the act of excepting, exclusion. As a noun, it is defined as: the act of excepting, exclusion. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Exception"?

Other words for "Exception" include challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, expostulation and fuss. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Exception" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Exception"?

There are 81 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Exception". Common alternatives include challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, expostulation, fuss, kick and objection.

How do you use "Exception" in a sentence?

Examples of "Exception" in a sentence: "I take strong exception to your assessment of his singing ability"; "her tardiness today is an exception; usually she's on time".

Is "Exception" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Exception" is a noun.

Is "Exception" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Exception" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Exception"?

"Exception" is pronounced /ik-ˈsep-shən/ and divided into syllables as ex·cep·tion.

What is the origin of the word "Exception"?

First known use: 14th century.