mutually exclusive option
noun phraseUK /ˈmjuːtʃuəli ɪkˈskluːsɪv ˈɒpʃən/
US /ˈmjuːtʃuəli ɪkˈskluːsɪv ˈɑːpʃən/
A choice where picking one thing means you cannot pick the other.
Choosing between the red shirt and the blue shirt is a mutually exclusive option because you can only wear one.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In logic, two statements that cannot both be true at the same time.
Being awake and being asleep are mutually exclusive options at any single moment.
3. In scheduling, two events that happen at the same time so you can only attend one.
The two concerts are mutually exclusive options because they start at the same hour.
4. In product design, features that cannot be used together in the same setup.
The app treats dark mode and high-contrast mode as mutually exclusive options.