Word.ws English Dictionary

make an exception

make an exception verb: to permit something that does not follow the usual rules or standards.

Verb

make an exception (third-person singular simple present makes an exception, present participle making an exception, simple past and past participle made an exception)

  1. To permit something that does not follow the usual rules or standards.
    • You told me again you preferred handsome men
      But for me, you would make an exception.1974, Leonard Cohen, “Chelsea Hotel #2”, in New Skin for the Old Ceremony

Forms of make an exception

third-person singular presentmakes an exception
present participlemaking an exception
past participlemade an exception
pastmade an exception

Questions about make an exception

What does make an exception mean?
Make an exception means to permit something that does not follow the usual rules or standards.
What part of speech is make an exception?
Make an exception is a verb.
What is the past tense of make an exception?
The past tense of make an exception is made an exception.

Words near make an exception in the dictionary

  1. make an ass of
  2. make an effort
  3. make an entrance
  4. make an errand
  5. make an example of
  6. make an exception
  7. make an exhibition of oneself
  8. make an honest woman
  9. make an impression
  10. make an offer
  11. make and mend

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: make an exception (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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