exceptional
adjective
ex·cep·tion·al
ik-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nəl 
2
: better than average : superior
exceptional skill
3
: deviating from the norm: such as
a
: having above or below average intelligence
b
: physically disabled
exceptionalness
noun
Examples of exceptional in a Sentence
We're bending the rules for this exceptional situation.
an exceptional student in math
The seafood dishes at this restaurant are exceptional.
a separate school for exceptional children
Recent Examples on the Web
His answer, given the exceptional political and economic turmoil in Canada, was a bit surprising.
—
Ian Austen, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
The secret to an exceptional Amatriciana lies in selecting impeccable guanciale Amatriciano—with its perfect balance of tender meat and luxurious fat—creating the foundation upon which this masterpiece is built.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Don’t forget that Bezos’s appetite for the exceptional extends offshore, with Koru, his $500 million, 417-foot sailing yacht, and Abeona, the $75 million, 250-foot support vessel that follows in its wake.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2025
During one exceptional spacewalk repair on STS-125, Michael Massimino and Michael Good had to rip a stuck handrail off Hubble by hand in order to repair a broken spectrograph, which itself was unprecedented.
—Tariq Malik, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exceptional
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Ian Austen, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
The secret to an exceptional Amatriciana lies in selecting impeccable guanciale Amatriciano—with its perfect balance of tender meat and luxurious fat—creating the foundation upon which this masterpiece is built.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Don’t forget that Bezos’s appetite for the exceptional extends offshore, with Koru, his $500 million, 417-foot sailing yacht, and Abeona, the $75 million, 250-foot support vessel that follows in its wake.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2025
During one exceptional spacewalk repair on STS-125, Michael Massimino and Michael Good had to rip a stuck handrail off Hubble by hand in order to repair a broken spectrograph, which itself was unprecedented.
—Tariq Malik, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exceptional
Cite this Entry
“Exceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exceptional. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exceptional
adjective
ex·cep·tion·al
ik-ˈsep-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl
1
: forming an exception : being unusual
an exceptional amount of rain
2
: better than average : superior
an exceptional student in math
exceptionally
adverb
-ē
exceptionalness
noun
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