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

Scorpio October 23 – November 21 Closeness may feel especially intense today. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 29 Sep. 2026

The Superior Park View rooms are the most comfortable, especially for those who prefer a separate living and dining space (complete with a pullout couch for the kids). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026

These had worked adequately for isolated farmers, but too many could overwhelm the absorptive capacity of the ground—especially if sprinklers were watering the lawns—causing effluent to rise to the surface or enter waterways. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Light bloom isn’t too apparent along the edges of shirts and suits, though the black letterboxing bars for the film’s anamorphic format show some noticeable haze that expands and intensifies when the top or bottom of the frame is especially bright. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 28 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