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What is the difference between preclude and exclude?

preclude | exclude |

As verbs the difference between preclude and exclude

is that preclude is remove the possibility of; rule out; prevent or exclude; to make impossible while exclude is to bar (someone) from entering; to keep out.

preclude

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Verb

(preclud)
  • Remove the possibility of; (l); prevent or exclude; to make (l).
  • It has been raining for days, but that doesn’t preclude the possibility that the skies will clear by this afternoon!
  • * {{quote-web
  • , date = 2013-08-09 , author = Douglas Main , title = Israel Outlaws Water Fluoridation , site = livescience , url = http://www.livescience.com/38796-israel-outlaws-water-fluoridation.html , accessdate = 2013-09-30 }}
    Israel's decision to ban fluoridation follows a vote to preclude the practice in Portland, Ore., and Wichita, Kan. It was also recently overturned in Hamilton, the fourth most populous city in New Zealand.

    Derived terms

    * precludable * preclusion * preclusive * preclusively

    exclude

    English

    Verb

    (exclud)
  • To bar (someone) from entering; to keep out.
  • To expel; to put out.
  • to exclude young animals from the womb or from eggs
  • (legal, of evidence) To refuse to accept as valid.
  • (medicine) To eliminate from diagnostic consideration.
  • Antonyms

    * include