A SyntaxError is an exception because Python treats it as one of its built-in exceptions. The context states that "Syntax errors are also handled as exceptions" and lists SyntaxError among commonly occurring built-in exceptions.

However, not every exception is a syntax error. The context explains that "all other exceptions are generated when a program is syntactically correct." Exceptions like ZeroDivisionError, ValueError, and IOError occur during execution even when the code follows all syntax rules. These disrupt normal program execution, such as "trying to open a file that does not exist, division by zero."

Therefore, while every syntax error is an exception, the reverse is not true because exceptions include a broader category of errors beyond syntax violations.