This is an exceptional case.
Source: tatoeba (55372)
Exceptional
/ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl/
Synonyms for "exceptional" (292 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (59)
Strong matches (87)
exclusoryexpressextraordinaryextremefabulousfantasticfantasticalfascinatingfeeble-mindedfeyfinefirst-ratefixedflakyformidablefreakfreakishfunnygiftedgolden
Show 40 more words
goodgreathandicappedidiocraticidiosyncraticimportantinadmissibleincomprehensibleinconceivableincredibleindescribableindividualindividualisticineffableinfrequentinnerinsularintimateirregularisolatedkinkykookylegendarymaggotymarkedmarvelousmeanmemorableminutemiraculousmythicalnarrowneatnoblenotablenoteworthynoticeablenuttyoddoddball
Adjective(14 words)
exemplary communityextraordinaryextraordinary eventextraordinary talentextreme valuegreat progressgreatest coverageirregular verbmagnificentmarvellousmirabilisnotablenotable cultural achievementnovel approach
Noun(12 words)
Adverb(1 words)
most distinctive person
Related words (146)
of markoptimumordinaryout of the ordinaryoutlandishoutstandingparochialparticularpassing strangepeculiarpersonalphenomenalportentousprecisepreclusivepremiumprescriptiveprestigiouspreventiveprime
Show 68 more words
privateprodigiousprohibitiveprominentpsychoticpuzzlingqueerquirkyrareremarkablerememberablereputablerespectiverestrictivesalientscarcescrewballscrewyseclusivesegregativeselectselectivesensationalseparativeseveralsignalsingularsnobbishsolipsisticspecialspecificsplendidsterlingstrangestrikingstupefyingstupendoussuperbsuperiorsuperlativesupernaturaltalentedtellingterrifictwisteduncommonunconventionaluncustomaryunexampledunforgettableunheard ofunheard-ofunimaginableuniqueunnaturalunordinaryunparalleledunprecedentedunspeakableunthinkableunusualunwontedvirtuosowackywhimsicalwonderfulwondrousxenophobic
Adjective(42 words)
olympianone off tasksoutlyingoutsizedoutstandingoutstanding achievementparticularphenomenal achievementprodigiousrarerare caserare creaturerare fossilrare occurrencerare phenomenonrarerrecord-breakingremarkableremarkable attributeremarkable event
Show 22 more words
remarkable livelinessremarkable personspecialspecial dayspecial election process stepsspecial prizestellar masssuperbsuperbersuperlative adjectivesurpassingtranscendenttremendousuncommon instanceunique contributionunique factunique person traitsunique traitunrivaledunusualunusual occurrenceunusual person
Noun(13 words)
one-of-a-kind objectoutclassingoutdoingoutlieroverachievingraressmackingstellersuperhumansupermexsuperstar athleteunique opportunityunique person example
Verb(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: aberrant, abnormal, absolute, aced, anomalous.
- Sentence evidence is available for exceptional, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wiktionary, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "exceptional".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "exceptional"
Keep "exceptional" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "exceptional" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "exceptional", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "exceptional" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesMore specific
5 entriesCollocations
6 entriesexceptional abilityexceptional caseexceptional circumstancesexceptional performanceexceptional qualityexceptional talent
Inflections
2 entriesmore exceptionalmost exceptional
Derivations
3 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
49 translations across 33 languages.
Arabic
1 entries- اِسْتِثْنَائِيّ adj (forming an exception)
Asturian
1 entries- esceicional adj (forming an exception)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- müstəsna adj (forming an exception)
Belarusian
1 entries- вынятко́вы adj (forming an exception)
Bulgarian
1 entries- изключи́телен adj (forming an exception)
Catalan
1 entries- excepcional adj (forming an exception)
Chinese Mandarin
4 entries- 例外 adj (forming an exception)
- 特別 /特别 adj (forming an exception)
- 特殊 adj (forming an exception)
- 特異 /特异 adj (forming an exception)
Czech
1 entries- výjimečný adj (forming an exception)
Danish
3 entries- eksceptionel adj (forming an exception)
- ekstraordinær adj (forming an exception)
- ganske særlig adj (forming an exception)
Dutch
3 entries- buitengewoon adj (forming an exception)
- exceptioneel adj (forming an exception)
- uitzonderlijk adj (forming an exception)
Esperanto
1 entries- escepta adj (forming an exception)
Finnish
3 entries- harvinainen adj (forming an exception)
- poikkeuksellinen adj (forming an exception)
- tavaton adj (forming an exception)
French
1 entries- exceptionnel adj (forming an exception)
German
1 entries- außergewöhnlich adj (forming an exception)
Greek
1 entries- εξαιρετικός adj (forming an exception)
Hungarian
2 entries- kivételes adj (forming an exception)
- rendkívüli adj (forming an exception)
Irish
1 entries- eisceachtúil adj (forming an exception)
Italian
1 entries- eccezionale adj (forming an exception)
Japanese
4 entries- 例外的な adj (forming an exception)
- 特別な adj (forming an exception)
- 特殊な adj (forming an exception)
- 特異な adj (forming an exception)
Latin
1 entries- eximius adj (forming an exception)
Macedonian
1 entries- исклучителен adj (forming an exception)
Malayalam
1 entries- അസാധാരണ adj (forming an exception)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- eksepsjonell adj (forming an exception)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- eksepsjonell adj (forming an exception)
Polish
1 entries- wyjątkowy adj (forming an exception)
Portuguese
2 entries- excecional adj (forming an exception)
- excepcional adj (forming an exception)
Russian
1 entries- исключи́тельный adj (forming an exception)
Scottish Gaelic
1 entries- air leth adj (forming an exception)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- izuzetan adj (forming an exception)
- изузетан adj (forming an exception)
Slovak
1 entries- výnimočný adj (forming an exception)
Slovene
1 entries- izjemen adj (forming an exception)
Spanish
1 entries- excepcional adj (forming an exception)
Ukrainian
1 entries- винятко́вий adj (forming an exception)
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
He showed exceptional ability in mathematics.
Source: tatoeba (300240)
He is good, not to say exceptional.
Source: tatoeba (303536)
The distributors are asking for an exceptional margin.
Source: tatoeba (810903)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "exceptional"?
Closest matches include aberrant, abnormal, absolute, aced, anomalous.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "exceptional"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.