especially

adverb

es·​pe·​cial·​ly i-ˈspe-shə-lē 

-ˈspesh-lē

1

: specially sense 1

2

a

: in particular : particularly

food seems cheaper, especially meats

b

: for a particular purpose

built especially for research

3

—used as an intensive

an especially good essay

nothing especially radical in the remarks

Synonyms of especially

• particularly
• specifically

Examples of especially in a Sentence

With the help of his staff, [Tim] Russert was especially good at arming himself for an interview by compiling a politician's previous statements in all their contradictions. Google was his tool and Gotcha his game. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 23 June 2008

In 1972, we began nonstop coverage of the Nixon-McGovern presidential campaign. Hunter [S. Thompson] took over my life then—and for many years after that when he was reporting (long nocturnal telephone calls and frequent all-night strategy sessions) and especially when he was writing. He was demanding in his need for time, attention, care, handling and editing. —Jann S. Wenner, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2005

Moreover, Gone with the Wind is peopled with characters whose inconsistencies make them interesting, none more so than Scarlett O'Hara, an unattractive, inexplicably seductive antiheroine whom Trollope himself might well have been pleased to dream up on an especially good day. —Terry Teachout, National Review, 20 Aug. 2001

… I am a tax dweeb. I like thinking about taxes and writing about taxes, and I really like doing my taxes. Especially since do-it-yourself tax software in a box got so great. —Linda Stern, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2000

He was especially concerned about the contract.

There is nothing especially radical about that idea.

Winning this tournament was especially satisfying.

I made this pie especially for you.

Recent Examples on the Web

The administration's efforts had the potential to be especially disruptive in states like Washington and Oregon that send out ballots entirely by mail. — Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

This makes credible third-party coverage especially valuable. — Evan Nierman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

The city felt vibrant and full of possibility, especially as Russia seemed firmly on its way to a democratic future. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

Even—perhaps especially—for a Beltway outsider, ascending the American political ladder requires a tremendous amount of glad-handing and personal magnetism, if not charm. — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing especially

• not especially

Rhymes for especially

• fleshly
• freshly