<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-01</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001109357</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>EXELON CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EXC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184019</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KINGSLEY OLIVER D JR</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>President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2144</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>66.36</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>39802</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock (Deferred Shares)</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>67265</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Stock Deferral Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">On 01/01/2004, 7,000 resticted shares vested and were transferred to direct ownership net of shares withheld for taxes.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 222 shares acquired on 09/10/2003 and 12/10/2003 through the automatic dividend reinvestment feature of Exelon plans.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Includes 1,071 shares acquired on 09/10/2003 and 12/10/2003 through the automatic dividend reinvestment feature of Exelon plans.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Scott N. Peters, Attorney in Fact for Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

