are mutually exclusive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are mutually exclusive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when two concepts cannot both be true at the same time. For example, "The idea of having a low-effort high-reward job and earning a lot of money are mutually exclusive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Most are mutually exclusive.

The Guardian

Some outcomes are mutually exclusive.

The Economist

Cloolus: They are mutually exclusive.

The New Yorker

The two are mutually exclusive.

The Guardian - Film

The positions are mutually exclusive.

The Guardian - Opinion

These conditions are mutually exclusive.

Artificial Intelligence

Their ranges are mutually exclusive.

The Guardian

Rosie and Sam are mutually exclusive.

The Guardian - Travel

The two are mutually exclusive concepts.

The Guardian - Opinion

Not that the two are mutually exclusive.

The New York Times

As though those two are mutually exclusive.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "are mutually exclusive" to clearly indicate that two or more options, categories, or conditions cannot occur simultaneously. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "are mutually exclusive" when categories or options can, in fact, overlap. For example, saying "being a student and having a job are mutually exclusive" is incorrect because many students also work.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are mutually exclusive" functions as a predicate adjective, describing a relationship between two or more subjects. It indicates that these subjects cannot occur or be true at the same time. Ludwig and Ludwig AI's analysis confirm this usage across numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

41%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are mutually exclusive" is a versatile and commonly used expression to convey that two or more concepts, categories, or events cannot occur simultaneously. As validated by Ludwig and Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound and appropriate for various contexts, ranging from news and media to scientific and academic writing. While its primary function is to denote incompatibility, related phrases such as "mutually incompatible" or "cannot coexist" offer alternative ways to express this idea. Remember to use "are mutually exclusive" when true separation exists and avoid it when categories overlap. Keep an eye out, because it has a lot of usages in formal, informal or academic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mutually incompatible

Replaces "exclusive" with "incompatible", emphasizing the inability to coexist.

mutually contradictory

Stresses the opposition or conflict between two things.

cannot coexist

Focuses on the inability of two things to exist at the same time.

do not overlap

Emphasizes the lack of shared elements or common ground.

preclude each other

Focuses on the action of one preventing the other from happening.

do not intersect

Similar to "do not overlap", this emphasizes the lack of common points or shared space.

distinct and separate

Highlights the lack of overlap or intersection between two things.

are antithetical

Highlights that the two things are direct opposites.

are discrete

Indicates that the items are individually separate and non-continuous.

are disjoint

Mathematically oriented term for sets that have no elements in common.

FAQs

How can I use "are mutually exclusive" in a sentence?

Use "are mutually exclusive" to indicate that two or more options or ideas cannot coexist. For example: "Believing in both complete free speech and absolute censorship "are mutually exclusive"".

What's a simpler way to say "are mutually exclusive"?

Alternatives include "cannot coexist", "are incompatible", or "do not overlap". These options provide simpler ways to convey the same meaning. For instance, you might say "These two concepts "cannot coexist"".

Are "are mutually exclusive" and "are mutually exhaustive" the same?

No, "are mutually exclusive" means items cannot occur together, while "are mutually exhaustive" means the items cover all possibilities. They are different concepts; exhaustive covers everything, while exclusive means there's no overlap. They "are mutually exclusive".

Which is correct: "is mutually exclusive" or "are mutually exclusive"?

"Are mutually exclusive" is used when referring to multiple subjects, whereas "is mutually exclusive" is for a singular subject. Example: "These options "are mutually exclusive"", versus "This choice is mutually exclusive with that one".