mutually exclusive

adjective

: being related such that each excludes or precludes the other
mutually exclusive events
also : incompatible
their outlooks were not mutually exclusive

Examples of mutually exclusive in a Sentence

the two plans are mutually exclusive; implementing one will automatically rule out the other
Recent Examples on the Web While their respective directives aren’t mutually exclusive—and compliance is a key facet of the CDO role—chief legal officers are likelier to err on the side of caution, potentially hampering diversity heads’ ability to effect change—and do so swiftly. Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 Joy and sadness aren’t mutually exclusive, and that duality can, in fact, coexist. Akiva Gottlieb, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024 At the Grammys, celebration and criticism aren’t mutually exclusive. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 Feb. 2024 Safety and innovation in AI are not mutually exclusive. Alondra Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 12 Jan. 2024 Note, though, that the terms aren’t mutually exclusive. Josh Beckerman, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2024 Importantly, the chemical brain and contractile network hypotheses aren’t mutually exclusive. Cara Giovanetti, Scientific American, 4 Jan. 2024 And, critically, pre-clerkship and clerkship as defined by the survey were not mutually exclusive — medical schools could select either or both phases when indicating where a topic is covered. Torie Bosch, STAT, 16 Dec. 2023 Most important, these proposals are not mutually exclusive. The Editors, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mutually exclusive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mutually exclusive was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near mutually exclusive

Cite this Entry

“Mutually exclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutually%20exclusive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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