mutually exclusive rule
noun phraseUK /ˈmjuːtʃuəli ɪkˈskluːsɪv ruːl/
US /ˈmjuːtʃuəli ɪkˈskluːsɪv ruːl/
A rule that says you can pick only one thing, not both.
The game has a mutually exclusive rule: you can be the cat or the dog, but not both.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In logic, a rule stating that two statements cannot both be true at the same time.
The mutually exclusive rule means the light cannot be on and off at once.
3. In scheduling, a rule that two events cannot happen at the same time.
A mutually exclusive rule stops the two meetings from being booked together.
4. In programming, a rule that only one option can be active at a time.
The app uses a mutually exclusive rule so only one tab stays open.