<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-18</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001109357</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>EXELON CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EXC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001067838</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROWE JOHN W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10 SOUTH DEARBORN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>37TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60603</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36982</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock (Deferred Shares)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>266903</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Stock Deferral Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock (401k Shares)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5576</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held By Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares - Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>107663</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred Comp. - Phantom Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>105</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>45.70</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>105</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>29652</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Balance includes 3,093 shares held in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Balance includes 2,286 shares acquired on 03/10/2005 through the automatic dividend reinvestment feature of Exelon plans.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares held as of 03/21/2005 in a multi-fund 401(k) Plan to be settled in cash upon the reporting person's termination of employment for any reason on a 1:1 basis. Shares are acquired through regular periodic contributions, company matching contributions, and the automatic reinvestment of dividends.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Performance Shares awarded pursuant to the Exelon Long Term Incentive Plan.  1/3 of the shares awarded vest immediately upon receipt.  The remaining shares vest in 1/3 increments on each of the second and third anniversaries of the award date.  At the election of the reporting person, under certain circumstances up to one half of the second and third vestings may either be settled in common stock on a 1 for 1 basis, or be settled in cash based on the cash value of the underlying stock on the date of vesting.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Balance includes 922 shares acquired on 03/10/2005 through the automatic dividend reinvestment feature of Exelon plans.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Phantom shares held in a multi-fund deferred compensation plan to be settled for cash upon the reporting person's termination of employment for any reason on a 1:1 basis. Shares are acquired through regular periodic contributions, company matching contributions, and the automatic reinvestment of dividends.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Balance includes 251 shares acquired on 03/10/2005 through the automatic dividend reinvestment feature of Exelon plans.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Scott N. Peters, Attorney in Fact for John W. Rowe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
