exception

exception — noun

1. A case in which the usual rule does not apply; any person or item not covered by

1.nounB1
Definition

A case in which the usual rule does not apply; any person or item not covered by a general statement.

Example

Most houses on this street are grey, and the yellow one is the only exception.

the only exception — the single item that differs from others

All members must attend the meeting, with the exception of those who are ill.

with the exception of — a fixed phrase meaning 'except'

Common collocations
  • notable exception
  • obvious exception
  • rare exception
  • only exception
  • no exception
Synonyms
  • anomaly

    stronger — suggests something that is abnormal or unusual, not just different

  • deviation

    focuses on the act of departing from a standard rather than the thing itself

  • outlier

    more technical or statistical; a data point far from others

  • special case

    neutral and descriptive; can be used in most situations

Antonyms
  • rule

    the general pattern that the exception breaks away from

  • norm

    what is typical or expected

Grammar Patterns

exception + to + noun phrase

with the exception of + noun phrase

no exception

Usage Note

Often appears in three fixed expressions: 'with the exception of' (except), 'without exception' (everyone/everything included), and 'no exception' (someone/something is also covered by the rule).

Common Mistakes

Everyone came with the expectation of John.
Everyone came with the exception of John.
Learners often confuse the spelling of 'exception' with 'expectation'.

2. A situation in which a rule is not applied to a particular person or case, allow

2.nounB2
Definition

A situation in which a rule is not applied to a particular person or case, allowing something that is normally forbidden or required.

Example

The dress code says no jeans, but the manager might make an exception for you.

make an exception for [someone] — not applying a rule to a particular person

Kwame asked the librarian to make an exception and let him borrow five books.

Common collocations
  • make an exception
  • grant an exception
  • request an exception
  • exception to the rule
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

make an exception + for + noun phrase

make an exception + and + verb

Usage Note

Nearly always appears in the phrase 'make an exception (for someone/something)'. The rule being set aside must be a general or established rule, not a personal preference. The preposition is 'to', not 'about' — 'an exception to the rule'.

Common Mistakes

The boss made an exception about the policy.
The boss made an exception to the policy.
The correct preposition after 'exception' in this sense is 'to', not 'about'.

3. A feeling of anger or opposition triggered by something that someone has said or

3.nounB2
Definition

A feeling of anger or opposition triggered by something that someone has said or done, especially when it seems unfair or insulting.

Example

Dahlia took exception to her coworker's remark about her presentation.

took exception to [someone's] remark — reacting angrily to a comment

When Samir heard the joke about his home country, he took exception to it.

Common collocations
  • take exception to
  • take strong exception to
  • take particular exception to
Synonyms
  • objection

    similar in meaning but can be milder; an objection can be calm

  • resentment

    stronger; a feeling of long-lasting anger from unfair treatment

  • offense

    focuses on the feeling of being hurt rather than the action of objecting

Antonyms
  • approval

    agreement or acceptance of what was said or done

  • acceptance

    willingly receiving the comment or action without anger

Grammar Patterns

take exception + to + noun phrase / verb-ing

Usage Note

Used exclusively in the fixed phrase 'take exception to something'. The object is typically a remark, comment, action, or suggestion. This sense is noticeably more formal than simply saying 'get angry about'.

Common Mistakes

I took exception for his rude comment.
I took exception to his rude comment.
The correct preposition is always 'to', never 'for' or 'at'.
I took an exception to what she said.
I took exception to what she said.
The article 'an' is not used; the phrase is fixed without an article.
Idioms

the exception that proves the rule

idiom

A saying used when something unusual happens that, by being different from the general situation, actually confirms that the general rule is still true in most cases.

Sumin is usually late, but today she arrived early — I guess that's the exception that proves the rule.

One rainy day in the dry season is the exception that proves the rule.

make an exception

idiom

To allow someone to break a rule just this once for a special reason.

The teacher made an exception and let Maya submit her homework late.

Although the museum is closed on Mondays, they made an exception for our group.

take exception to something

idiom

To feel angry or offended by something someone says or does.

Diego took exception to his boss's comment about his work ethic.

Why did you take exception to her suggestion? It seemed reasonable.

with the exception of somebody/something

idiom

Not including a particular person or thing.

All the students passed the exam with the exception of Brian.

With the exception of Sara, everyone arrived on time for the meeting.

without exception

idiom

Used to say that a statement is true for every person or thing in a group.

All employees without exception must attend the safety training.

Without exception, every guest at the party received a small gift.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something that differs from a norm or standard, but they carry different implications. An 'anomaly' is something that is not just different but also hard to explain or abnormal ('The warm weather in December was an anomaly'). A 'deviation' focuses on the act of moving away from an expected standard, often in a measurable way ('Any deviation from the safety rules is unacceptable'). An 'outlier' is a technical term from statistics now used more broadly for something far outside the main group ('As the only student from a village school, she felt like an outlier'). A 'special case' is the most neutral and conversational — it simply says something deserves different treatment without suggesting it is abnormal ('Each visa application is treated as a special case'). For everyday situations where you mean 'something that does not follow the usual rule', 'exception' and 'special case' are the safest choices.

anomalydeviation ↗outlierspecial case

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • rarely an exception
  • hardly an exception
  • notable exception
  • obvious exception

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'Exception' entered English through French from Latin 'exceptio', based on 'excipere' meaning 'to take out'. 'Excipere' is formed from 'ex-' (out) and 'capere' (to take). The original idea was of something physically taken out from a group — so it was left out of a general statement or rule. This sense of 'taking something out' still underlies all modern meanings: something is removed from the normal application of a rule.