What does "exclusive" mean?
Information (or an artefact) that is granted or obtained exclusively.
Exclusive
/ɪkˈsklu.sɪv/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Information (or an artefact) that is granted or obtained exclusively.
- Grammar: exclusive is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: sole, a certain, a la mode, absolute.
- Useful contrasts: eclectic, inclusive, non-exclusive.
- Usage evidence: The two qualities are mutually exclusive.
How to use "exclusive"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "exclusive" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "exclusive" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "exclusive" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "exclusive" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "exclusive" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sole" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "exclusive", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Information (or an artefact) that is granted or obtained exclusively.
"The editor agreed to keep a lid on a potentially disastrous political scoop in exchange for an exclusive of a happier nature."
- 2 a news report that is reported first by one news organization wordnet
- 3 A member of a group who excludes others from their society.
"The exclusives at the English Universities apply the term CAD to all non-members."
- 4 A word or phrase that restricts something, such as only, solely, or simply.
Adjective
- 1 Excluding items or members that do not meet certain conditions. literally
- 2 Referring to a membership organisation, service or product: of high quality and/or renown, for superior members only. figuratively
- 3 A snobbish usage, suggesting that members who do not meet requirements, which may be financial, of social status, religion, skin colour etc., are excluded.
"Exclusive clubs tend to serve exclusive brands of food and drinks, in the same exorbitant price range, such as the 'finest' French châteaux."
- 4 Exclusionary.
- 5 Whole, undivided, entire.
"The teacher's pet commands the teacher's exclusive attention."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Of or relating to the first-person plural pronoun when excluding the person being addressed.
"The pronoun in "We're going to a party later, but you aren't invited" is an exclusive "we"."
- 7 Having a romantic or sexual relationship with one another, to the exclusion of others.
"They decided to no longer be exclusive."
Adjective
- 1 not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective wordnet
- 2 excluding much or all; especially all but a particular group or minority wordnet
- 3 not divided or shared with others wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The two qualities are mutually exclusive."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "exclusive"?
Common synonyms include: sole, a certain, a la mode, absolute, aloof, an.
How do you use "exclusive" in a sentence?
The two qualities are mutually exclusive.
How do you pronounce "exclusive"?
Pronounced /ɪkˈsklu.sɪv/.
Etymology
From Latin exclūsīvus, from excludere (“to shut out, exclude”), from ex- (“out”) + variant form of verb claudere (“to close, shut”).