What is the Difference Between Preclude and Exclude?

The words "preclude" and "exclude" are not synonyms; they have distinct meanings:

• Preclude means to prevent something from happening or to make something impossible. It is often used in legal writings to mean making something legally impossible.
• Exclude means to deny someone access to a place, group, or privilege, or to reject or leave something out. It is the opposite of "include" and is used to describe situations where something or someone is removed or barred from a group or set.

Although these two verbs may be interchangeable in some cases, they do not have the same meaning. For example, a line from Dictionary.com states, "to preclude is to not have something as part of a group, and to exclude is to remove something already in the group". In summary, the key difference between "preclude" and "exclude" is that "preclude" means to prevent something from happening, while "exclude" means to deny someone access or remove them from a group, place, or privilege.

Comparative Table: Preclude vs Exclude

Here is a table highlighting the differences between "preclude" and "exclude":

While both "preclude" and "exclude" denote prevention or omission, they differ in the timing and intent behind their usage. "Preclude" involves preventing something in advance, while "exclude" focuses on a deliberate act of leaving out.