particular

adjective

par·tic·u·lar | \pər-ˈti-kyə-lər,

pə-, -k(ə-)lər\

Definition of particular

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or being a single person or thing the particular person I had in mind

2 : of, relating to, or concerned with details gave us a very particular account of the trip

3a : distinctive among other examples or cases of the same general category : notably unusual suffered from measles of particular severity This computer program will be of particular interest to teachers.

b : being one unit or element among others particular incidents in a story

4a : concerned over or attentive to details : meticulous a very particular gardener

b : nice in taste : fastidious She's very particular about her clothes.

c : hard to please : exacting never loses patience even with the most particular customers

5a : denoting an individual member or subclass in logic

b : affirming or denying a predicate to a part of the subject —used of a proposition in logic "some men are wise" is a particular affirmative

6 obsolete : partial

particular

noun

Definition of particular (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an individual fact, point, circumstance, or detail a hero in every particular— Ron Fimrite

b : a specific item or detail of information —usually used in plural wanted to know all the particulars of the incidentbill of particulars

2a : an individual or a specific subclass (as in logic) falling under some general concept or term

b : a particular proposition in logic

in particular

: in distinction from others : specifically

3 archaic : a separate part of a whole

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about particular

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Choose the Right Synonym for particular

Adjective

circumstantial, minute, particular, detailed mean dealing with a matter fully and usually point by point. circumstantial implies fullness of detail that fixes something described in time and space. a circumstantial account of our visit minute implies close and searching attention to the smallest details. a minute examination of a fossil particular implies a precise attention to every detail. a particular description of the scene of the crime detailed stresses abundance or completeness of detail. a detailed analysis of the event

special, especial, specific, particular, individual mean of or relating to one thing or class. special stresses having a quality, character, identity, or use of its own. special ingredients especial may add implications of preeminence or preference. a matter of especial importance specific implies a quality or character distinguishing a kind or a species. children with specific nutritional needs particular stresses the distinctness of something as an individual. a ballet step of particular difficulty individual implies unequivocal reference to one of a class or group. valued each individual opinion

Noun

item, detail, particular mean one of the distinct parts of a whole. item applies to each thing specified separately in a list or in a group of things that might be listed or enumerated. every item on the list detail applies to one of the small component parts of a larger whole such as a task, building, painting, narration, or process. leave the details to others particular stresses the smallness, singleness, and especially the concreteness of a detail or item. a description that included few particulars

Examples of particular in a Sentence

Adjective

The computer program will be of particular interest to teachers. Pay particular attention to the poet's choice of words. Our teacher is very particular when it comes to punctuation.

Noun

They wanted to know the facts down to every particular. requested a bill of particulars for the care he received in the hospital

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Yet, some research shows that genetics may be helpful in trying to predict how a medication could affect a particular patient. — Kasandra Brabaw, SELF, "7 Myths You Might Believe About Antipsychotic Medications," 7 Dec. 2018 And while the celebrities have started arriving for the nuptials, there will be one particular famous friend not in the midst for the celebrations. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "Is Meghan Markle at Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas' Wedding?," 29 Nov. 2018 Special counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating these topics, with a particular focus on Trump adviser (and longtime Manafort friend and business associate) Roger Stone. — Andrew Prokop, Vox, "New developments about Mueller, Manafort, and Corsi.," 27 Nov. 2018 Social scientists have long been trying to correct this particular record to little avail since divorce rates—which peaked in the 1970s and ‘80s—have been steadily on the decline for decades. — Elizabeth Kiefer, Glamour, "My Millennial Divorce: A Week of Stories That Explore Uncoupling in a Modern World," 26 Nov. 2018 The results are then crunched using a computer algorithm to customize a plan based on each person’s particular deficiencies and genetic makeup. — Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, "A New Treatment for Alzheimer's? It Starts With Lifestyle," 16 Nov. 2018 The city is a wild hodgepodge of restaurants, markets, and street stalls; its cuisine is a mix of Malay, Indian, Thai, and Chinese influences (with a particular leaning toward the Teochew, Hokkien, and Cantonese flavors of the Chinese south). — Fuchsia Dunlop, Condé Nast Traveler, "Penang is Asia's Next Great Foodie City," 15 Nov. 2018 That's a common effect of Meghan's style choices, but this particular time, the outcome was special. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Meghan Markle Wears Back-to-Back Casual Outfits on the Royal Tour in New Zealand," 29 Oct. 2018 Multiple countries use them within their own royal families, but Queen Elizabeth II's has its own particular design and meaning. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "The First Photos of Kate Middleton Wearing an Special Honor From the Queen Are Breathtaking," 24 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The new owner in particular is sitting pretty, having just earned a $1,499,500 in profit on a $500 investment. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "'Storage Wars' Star Dan Dotson Sold a $500 Unit With $7.5 Million Accidentally Hidden Inside," 26 Nov. 2018 One doesn’t have to agree with the particulars of every investigation to see the fundamental difference here: The members of our law enforcement and intelligence communities are trying to protect the country. — William Cummings, USA TODAY, "The Bubble: Conservatives say alleged FBI 'spying' on Trump is bigger than Watergate," 23 May 2018 Vanity Fair reported that Meghan met with the monarch to talk about the particulars of planning a royal wedding, including flower arrangements. — Megan Friedman, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle’s Relationship With the Queen: Everything You Need to Know," 27 June 2018 While the broad strokes of Segale's role in Mario's naming remain consistent, the particulars can change with the retelling. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Mario Segale, namesake for Nintendo’s mascot, dies at 84," 2 Nov. 2018 Many patients register the particulars of their biological catastrophe—the alarming brain scans, the bleak recovery timelines—and then mentally check out. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "The Heroes of Science Who Are Unlocking the Brain," 3 Oct. 2018 Her essays are both grounded in particulars—there are ruminations on Katherine Mansfield, arm hair, and the oppression of attempting to work in the same space as someone else—and universal. — Chloe Schama, Vogue, "13 Books to Thrill, Entertain, and Sustain You This Summer," 30 May 2018 The federal education agency in particular singled out Healey’s ongoing lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency as an example of state officials overstepping their authority. — Deirdre Fernandes, BostonGlobe.com, "Department of Education blocks states on student loan debt collectors," 9 Mar. 2018 Turns out, the secrecy is actually on purpose—despite her very public life, Reinhart doesn't feel the need to share any particulars about her private life, and that includes her relationship status. — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, "Why Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse Keep Their Relationship So Secret," 2 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'particular.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.