as in inconsistent
not being in agreement or harmony
the two plans are mutually exclusive; implementing one will automatically rule out the other
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Recent Examples of mutually exclusive
More remarkable is his ability to convince skittish engineers, investors, and a tech-skeptical public that their priorities, even when mutually exclusive, are also his priorities.
—
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Additionally, note that the reasons children get bored at school aren’t mutually exclusive.
—Amanda Morin, Parents, 6 Apr. 2026
Proving that comfort and style aren’t mutually exclusive, the Wilfred Goodlux Bloomsbury Dress is made from a stretchy and relaxed jersey material that can be dressed up or down throughout your next trip (and would look excellent with a pair of tomato red sneakers for a casual day of sightseeing).
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
Academic excellence, research, public service, and state-of-the-art healthcare are not mutually exclusive disciplines.
—Radenka Maric, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutually exclusive
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Additionally, note that the reasons children get bored at school aren’t mutually exclusive.
—Amanda Morin, Parents, 6 Apr. 2026
Proving that comfort and style aren’t mutually exclusive, the Wilfred Goodlux Bloomsbury Dress is made from a stretchy and relaxed jersey material that can be dressed up or down throughout your next trip (and would look excellent with a pair of tomato red sneakers for a casual day of sightseeing).
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026
Academic excellence, research, public service, and state-of-the-art healthcare are not mutually exclusive disciplines.
—Radenka Maric, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mutually exclusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mutually exclusive
Adjective
-
In addition to reinforcing the fiduciary standards that are already in place for community associations, this will help to establish stronger grounds for claims involving unilateral acts by directors, inadequate reserve planning, inconsistent rules enforcement, or failures in management oversight.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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Maybe—but the effects are likely to be modest and inconsistent.—
Patricia Weiser,
Verywell Health,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Andrew Lee, the founder of Tasklet, told CBS News that such problems can arise when a user prompt gives the AI conflicting instructions.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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In statements to investigators, Bovino and Epperson had offered conflicting accounts of the encounter.—
A.C. Thompson,
ProPublica,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mutually exclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mutually%20exclusive. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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