You’re potentially familiar with the expressions ‘preclude’ and ‘exclude’, however, do you truly understand the distinction among them? It’s not difficult to expect they suggest a similar issue considering they sound so practically identical, however, there are subtle differences in their definitions. So whether you often locate yourself seeking to determine between ‘preclude’ and ‘exclude’, otherwise you just want to expand your vocabulary expertise, stick around as we type out those normally mixed-up words.
Defining Preclude and Exclude
To preclude something means to prevent it or make it not possible.
To exclude some skill to leave it out or bypass it.
Preclude refers to preventing something from going on altogether, even as exclude refers to leaving something out that has already been included or could be blanketed.
As an instance, you might preclude a baby from watching an inappropriate film to prevent them from seeing it in the first place. However, you might exclude certain topics from a research paper that you had originally planned to include.
Preclude often implies that something cannot happen or be done at all, while exclude suggests that something is barred or left out from a group or whole.
For example, a drought may preclude farming in an area, making it impossible. But a club may exclude people over a certain age, even though they could otherwise join.
Preclude has a sense of finality, while exclude may be temporary or partial.
A serious health condition may preclude someone from playing contact sports forever. But a coach may exclude a player for one game as punishment, with the possibility of reinstatement.
While these nuanced differences can seem subtle, being aware of them can help you choose the most precise word for what you mean to say. Using them incorrectly may not necessarily change the meaning, but it can come across as awkward or unintentionally emphatic. When in doubt, it never hurts to double-check a dictionary or usage guide.
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When to Use Preclude vs Exclude
Preclude
The word “preclude” means to prevent or make impossible by necessary consequence. Use “preclude” when something actively prevents another thing from happening or existing.
For example, you might say:
A lack of funding precluded us from moving forward with the new initiative.
His illness precluded him from attending the conference.
Exclude
On the other hand, “exclude” simply means to leave out or bar. Use “exclude” when you intentionally leave something out or bar something from participating.
For example:
The club’s bylaws exclude non-members from voting.
I excluded irrelevant data from my analysis.
So in short, use “preclude” while something prevents or makes impossible, and use “exclude” when you actively pick out to depart something out or bar it. Even as the quit result may be similar, the implication is distinctive.
When in Doubt
If you’re still unsure which word is most appropriate for your particular usage, here are a couple of tips:
• Think about whether the thing in question is being actively prevented (preclude) or intentionally left out (exclude).
• Try substituting “prevent” for “preclude” and “leave out” for “exclude” to see which makes more sense in the context.
• Look at the sentence structure. “Preclude” is often followed by “from” + verb, while “exclude” is often followed by a direct object.
• If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with “exclude” as it has a more general meaning. But when possible, choose the word that most precisely fits your intended meaning.
With practice, the distinction between these comparable-seeming phrases will become second nature. However, while in doubt, rely upon these tips to guide you to the proper choice.
Preclude Vs Exclude
Preclude
- Preclude means to prevent or make impossible, especially by anticipating and eliminating obstacles.
- You would preclude difficulties by taking action in advance.
- Preclude typically refers to intangible things like possibilities, events, and situations.
- Preclude is used as a verb.
- Some alternatives to preclude include avert, avoid, circumvent, obviate, and stave off.
Exclude
- Exclude means to shut out or leave out; keep from entering or being included.
- You would exclude someone or something that is already there.
- Exclude usually refers to physical things like people, objects, and spaces.
- Exclude may be used as both a verb and a noun.
- Some alternatives for exclude include ban, bar, blackball, blacklist, debar, cut out, restrict, reject, repudiate, and shut out.
In summary, at the same time as preclude and exclude are intently related in meaning, there are a few key differences in how they’re used that are important to hold in thinking. Paying attention to those nuances can help make certain you pick the most appropriate phrase for the scenario.
