the exception rather than the rule

noun phrase

: not common or usual : not often done, seen, or happening : rare

Friendly customer service seems to be the exception rather than the rule nowadays.

Examples of the exception rather than the rule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Viewed through that lens, the low and stable inflation environment that many investors came to regard as normal may actually have been the exception rather than the rule. — Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Detractors will undoubtedly argue that his peak 2023-24 season, having joined in 2021, is now regarded as the exception rather than the rule across five years in which Bailey could not consistently reach the heights his talent had promised. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Indeed, health insurance coverage for elective egg freezing is still the exception rather than the rule, Melfi said. — Annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026

But this success appears to be the exception rather than the rule. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 29 June 2026

Rhymes for the exception rather than the rule

• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool
• guayule
• lobule
• misrule
• preschool
• pustule
• whirlpool