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

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

Keep scrolling for more

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

Sophie in particular shows off her acting chops and comedic timing. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "The New Jonas Brothers' Music Video Is Exactly How I Picture Their Family Gatherings," 1 Mar. 2019 Bernie Sanders is again running for president and polls show that younger voters in particular are open to socialist ideas. — WSJ, "Is the Campus Free-Speech Crisis Overblown?," 19 Feb. 2019 This film in particular is very special and I’m honored this is the one that took me to the Oscars. — Candice Frederick, Harper's BAZAAR, "Black Panther's Ruth E. Carter on Designing for the Revolution," 18 Feb. 2019 Prince William, in particular, used to have a favorite hobby that Queen Elizabeth was decidedly not a fan of. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Prince William's Motorcycling Hobby "Frightened the Life Out of" Queen Elizabeth," 18 Feb. 2019 His highly imaginative designs ended up being something of a viral sensation—made from shrunken rubber Donald Trump masks, the shoes in particular were a runaway hit. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Born in Buffalo and Trained in London, Edwin Mohney Sources the Fabric for His Radical Ball Gowns at Kmart," 16 Feb. 2019 There's one guest host in particular that people are thrilled with: Keke Palmer. — Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, "'Wendy Williams Show' Fans Think One of Her Guest Hosts Could Replace the Queen of Tea for Good," 13 Feb. 2019 Rosalind Franklin contributed a lot more to science, in particular discovering the structure of several viruses. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Europe's Next Mars Rover Is Named After a Pioneer of DNA Research," 7 Feb. 2019 In particular, Princess Diana's choice to shake hands with AIDS patients was revolutionary in helping to fight the stigma of the disease in the early '90s. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "The Reason Meghan Markle Holds Her Gloves But Doesn't Actually Wear Them," 2 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Built in 1717, the 4-story hôtel particular was once home to The Comtesse de Castiglione (photography’s first muse) before it was acquired by Frédéric Boucheron in 1893. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, "Jewelry Maison Boucheron Reopens its Place Vendôme Boutique With a Sparkling Dinner," 21 Jan. 2019 In addition to the particulars of the grape, there is the question of how exactly the wine is made. — Rachel Sugar, Vox, "Here is why you look like a vampire.," 18 Dec. 2018 The approach serves several purposes, but the most important is to force viewers to concentrate on the interpersonal relationships in this film, not on its wretched particulars. — David Mermelstein, WSJ, "Cinematic Treasures From an Unexpected Place," 22 Jan. 2019 Each scene seems to represent both its particulars and something bigger — the quotidian reality of a painful moment in history. — Roberta Smith, New York Times, "What to See in New York Art Galleries This Week," 11 July 2018 But flashes of anxiety were minimal; a five-day window meant more time had to be spent writing our vows than worrying about the particulars. — Phoebe Lapine, Marie Claire, "How to Marry a Guy in Five Days," 18 Jan. 2019 The Seahawks defense in particular stepped up late in the game when one touchdown would’ve put the Vikings ahead. — Seattle Times Sports Staff, The Seattle Times, "What the national media are saying about the Seahawks’ win over the Vikings on #MNF," 11 Dec. 2018 Thelma’s story in particular should be worth exploring right now, given the Trump administration’s politically motivated war on American media. — Samantha Nelson, The Verge, "Season 3 of The Man in the High Castle doubles down on science fiction — and stumbles," 27 Sep. 2018 While many celebs liked getting slimed, one in particular did not. — Stacey Grant, Seventeen, "14 Outrageous Facts About Nickelodeon Slime," 10 Dec. 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.