exclusion

noun

ex·​clu·​sion ik-ˈsklü-zhən 

1

: the act or an instance of excluding

2

: the state of being excluded

exclusionary

ik-ˈsklü-zhə-ˌner-ē 

adjective

Examples of exclusion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ivorians are preparing to vote in presidential elections on Saturday amid rising tensions over the exclusion of opposition candidates and a government crackdown on dissent that has led to the arrest of more than 200 protesters this month. —Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2025

This test—steeped in the texts of the Great Tradition—pushes students and schools to treat assessments not as a bureaucratic hoop or a mechanism of exclusion, but as a gateway to deep, reflective learning and engagement with timeless lessons that form both mind and soul. —MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025

Amazon inked an 11-year deal with the NBA for exclusive global rights to 66 regular-season games (with some country exclusions) starting with the 2025-26 season. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025

Matta-Clark may have felt some sense of communion with the taggers, whose rebellion against modern architecture and authority came out of the socioeconomic exclusion that defined their urban lives. —Antonio Sergio Bessa, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin exclusion-, exclusio, from excludere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing exclusion

• exclusion principle
• Pauli exclusion principle
• self-exclusion
• to the exclusion of

Rhymes for exclusion

• allusion
• collusion
• conclusion
• confusion
• contusion
• delusion
• diffusion
• effusion
• extrusion
• illusion
• inclusion
• infusion

Medical Definition

exclusion

noun

ex·​clu·​sion iks-ˈklü-zhən 

: surgical separation of part of an organ from the rest without excision

exclude

iks-ˈklüd 

transitive verb

excluded; excluding

Legal Definition

exclusion

noun

ex·​clu·​sion ik-ˈsklü-zhən 

1

: the act of excluding or state of being excluded

specifically : refusal of entry into the U.S. by immigration officials

review of deportation and exclusion orders

compare deportation

2

: something that excludes or is excluded: as

a

: a part of an insurance contract that excludes specified risks from coverage compare condition, declaration

b

: an amount that is excluded from tax liability compare credit, deduction, exemption

exclusionary

-zhə-ˌner-ē 

adjective