1
as in extraordinary
being out of the ordinary
an exceptional amount of snow fell in March
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disabled
deprived of the power to perform one or more natural bodily activities
her experience working with exceptional children was rewarding and inspiring
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intelligent
having or showing quickness of mind
a special school for exceptional children
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exceptional
The company is rolling out a new performance review platform called Checkpoint, which will grade workers, grouping them into four categories and rewarding top performers for exceptional work, according to internal documents obtained by Business Insider.
—
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Behind exceptional play from Mendoza and its dominant defense, Indiana has outscored Alabama and Oregon 94-25 in two playoff games.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Reigning state semifinalist Methuen/Tewksbury returns Dream Team goalie Lydia Barnes, backing star junior Lyla Chapman and an exceptional defense.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
This versatility offers both understated style and exceptional comfort in daily wear but these socks can be worn for all sorts of sporting activities in a pinch.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exceptional
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Behind exceptional play from Mendoza and its dominant defense, Indiana has outscored Alabama and Oregon 94-25 in two playoff games.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Reigning state semifinalist Methuen/Tewksbury returns Dream Team goalie Lydia Barnes, backing star junior Lyla Chapman and an exceptional defense.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
This versatility offers both understated style and exceptional comfort in daily wear but these socks can be worn for all sorts of sporting activities in a pinch.
—Lisa Jhung, Outside, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exceptional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exceptional
Adjective
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Packed with extraordinary gorilla behavior never filmed before, this is a story of hope and joy.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Johnson’s ability to rapidly guide the Bears here registers as extraordinary.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Daou’s husband, Alain – who is also disabled and uses a wheelchair – removed the item’s tags and stayed behind to pay for it.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
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Last year, she was moved to a prison hundreds of miles from her disabled mother, who is seriously ill and scheduled to undergo brain surgery this spring.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Caterpillar’s intelligent product lineup spans core construction and earthmoving equipment, along with connected site systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
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Conversely, if these foundations can be reinforced, even partially, the intelligent age may yet fulfil its promise of progress.—
Klaus Schwab,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Andy Baker-White, the senior director of state health policy for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the bipartisan support for bills targeting food dyes and ultraprocessed food struck him as unusual.—
Alan Greenblatt,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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But David did put in place an unusual corporate reporting structure in which Weiss reports directly to him, rather than through the head of CBS — an arrangement that has imbued every decision Weiss has made with speculation about whether David might be influencing her choices.—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This approach draws on a concept known as sensory substitution, in which information from a missing or impaired sense is rerouted through a functioning one.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Jan. 2026
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All were badly wounded; one of them, Darrell Cabey, was left permanently paralyzed and cognitively impaired.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Each clever accessory is under $15 — that’s less than the cost of a sandwich special at my favorite deli.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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With two bedrooms and two baths, the home is surprisingly expansive, boasting just under 2,400 square feet across its clever layout.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Gold, sage and forest green tile flooring lined the area, leading into a room with a pool table and carpet, with a series of unique memorabilia on the walls.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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Having the brewery, taproom and supply store under one roof is a unique aspect of the business.—
Janice Phelan,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The third-year quarterback was brilliant, going 15-of-20 for 206 yards and three touchdowns.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Their effort to find a home in Overtown seemed futile until Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon, who grew up in Liberty City, conceived a brilliant idea.—
Dorothy Jenkins Fields,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exceptional. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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