Exclusive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ik-ˈsklü-siv/ ex·clu·sive

Meaning & Definition of Exclusive

Exclusive (adjective)

  1. excluding or having power to exclude
  2. limiting or limited to possession, control, or use by a single individual or group
  3. excluding others from participation

Exclusive (noun)

  1. something exclusive
  2. a news story at first released to or reported by only one source
  3. an exclusive right (as to sell a particular product in a certain area)

Exclusive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. belonging only to the one person, unit, or group named

    "residents of the apartment complex have exclusive use of the pool"

    similar: single, sole, unshared
    related: proprietary, personal, private
    opposite: nonexclusive
    near: common, communal, conjoint, cooperative, joint, multiple, mutual, pooled, public, shared, united

  2. not divided or scattered among several areas of interest or concern

    "during interviews she always gives the job applicant her exclusive attention"

    similar: all, concentrated, entire, focused, undivided, whole
    related: absolute, complete, full, lump, teetotal, thorough, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unqualified, utter, comprehensive, intact, integral, perfect, unbroken
    opposite: diffuse, divided, scattered
    near: deficient, fragmental, fragmentary, halfway, incomplete, partial

  3. appealing to affluent consumers

    "a section of the city where the exclusive boutiques and fashionable restaurants are concentrated"

    similar: high-end, upmarket, upscale
    related: elegant, fashionable, posh, extravagant, ostentatious, showy, deluxe, lavish, luxuriant, luxurious, opulent, plush, sumptuous, costly, expensive
    opposite: dime-store, discount, down-market, downscale, low-end
    near: cheap, inexpensive

  4. being in the latest or current fashion

    "an exclusive designer gown of the sort that shows up on red carpets"

    similar: à la mode, au courant, chic, cool (slang), fashionable, fresh (slang), happening, hip, in, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish, supercool, swell, swish, trendy, voguish
    related: downtown, edgy, funky, dapper, dashing, dressy, kicky, natty, rakish, sassy, saucy, spiffy, spruce, chichi, classy, flossy, haute, nobby, posh, ritzy, soigné, swank, elegant, graceful, handsome, majestic, refined, sophisticated, stately, tasteful, understated, doggish, doggy, flashy, gallant, dandyish, dudish, foppish, ultrachic, ultracool, ultrahip, ultraposh, ultrasmart, ultrasophisticated
    opposite: dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable, unmodish, unstylish
    near: cheesy, tacky, unattractive, unbecoming, graceless, inelegant, tasteless, trashy, unhandsome, frowsy, sloppy, slovenly, unkempt, untidy, disheveled, messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkled, shabby, sleazy

Related Entry: Exclusive of (preposition)

Exclusive of is a different word from Exclusive. The synonyms below are for exclusive of, not for exclusive.

  1. not including

    "all food and beverages are included in the price, exclusive of any alcoholic drinks ordered from the bar"

    similar: apart from, aside from, bar, barring, beside, besides, but, except, except for, excluding, other than, outside, outside of, save, saving

Related Entry: Mutually exclusive (adjective)

Mutually exclusive is a different word from Exclusive. The synonyms below are for mutually exclusive, not for exclusive.

  1. not being in agreement or harmony

    "the two plans are mutually exclusive; implementing one will automatically rule out the other"

    similar: clashing, conflicting, disagreeing, discordant, discrepant, incompatible, incongruous, inconsistent, inconsonant, inharmonious, repugnant, at odds, at variance
    related: irreconcilable, antagonistic, antipodal, antipodean, antithetical, contradictory, contrary, diametric, opposing, opposite
    opposite: accordant, agreeing, compatible, concordant, conformable (to), congruent, congruous, consistent, consonant, correspondent (with or to), harmonious, nonconflicting
    near: akin, like, similar

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Exclusive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Exclusive:

Slang: cool, fresh
single, sole, unshared, all, concentrated, entire, focused, undivided, whole, high-end, upmarket, upscale, à la mode, au courant, chic, fashionable, happening, hip, in, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish, supercool, swell, swish, trendy, voguish

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Exclusive

Words with the opposite meaning of Exclusive:

nonexclusive, diffuse, divided, scattered, dime-store, discount, down-market, downscale, low-end, dowdy, out, outmoded, styleless, unchic, uncool, unfashionable, unmodish, unstylish

Related Words for Exclusive

proprietary, personal, private, absolute, complete, full, lump, teetotal, thorough, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unqualified, utter, comprehensive, intact, integral, perfect, unbroken, elegant, posh, extravagant, ostentatious, showy, deluxe, lavish, luxuriant, luxurious, opulent, plush

Near Antonyms of Exclusive

common, communal, conjoint, cooperative, joint, multiple, mutual, pooled, public, shared, united, deficient, fragmental, fragmentary, halfway, incomplete, partial, cheap, inexpensive, cheesy, tacky, unattractive, unbecoming, graceless, inelegant, tasteless, trashy, unhandsome, frowsy, sloppy

Word Forms of Exclusive

Derived words: exclusiveness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Exclusive

First known use: 1515

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Exclusive

Words & Phrases Containing Exclusive

exclusive disjunction, exclusive economic zone, exclusive of, mutually exclusive

Frequently Asked Questions about Exclusive

What does "Exclusive" mean?

"Exclusive" means excluding or having power to exclude. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: excluding or having power to exclude. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Exclusive"?

Other words for "Exclusive" include single, sole, unshared, all, concentrated, entire, focused and undivided. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Exclusive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Exclusive"?

There are 106 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Exclusive". Common alternatives include single, sole, unshared, all, concentrated, entire, focused, undivided, whole and high-end.

What is the opposite of "Exclusive"?

Antonyms of "Exclusive" include nonexclusive, diffuse, divided, scattered, dime-store, discount, down-market and downscale. Near antonyms include common, communal, conjoint and cooperative.

How do you use "Exclusive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Exclusive" in a sentence: "residents of the apartment complex have exclusive use of the pool"; "during interviews she always gives the job applicant her exclusive attention"; "a section of the city where the exclusive boutiques and fashionable restaurants are concentrated".

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

"Exclusive" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

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

As a C1-level word, "Exclusive" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Exclusive"?

"Exclusive" is pronounced /ik-ˈsklü-siv/ and divided into syllables as ex·clu·sive.