singular

adjective

sin·gu·lar | \ ˈsiŋ-gyə-lər

Definition of singular

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : of or relating to a separate person or thing : individual

b : of, relating to, or being a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance a singular noun

c : of or relating to a single instance or to something considered by itself

2 : distinguished by superiority : exceptional an artist of singular attainments

3 : being out of the ordinary : unusual on the way home we had a singular adventure

4 : departing from general usage or expectation : peculiar, odd the air had a singular chill

5a of a matrix : having a determinant equal to zero

b of a linear transformation : having the property that the matrix of coefficients of the new variables has a determinant equal to zero

singular

noun

Definition of singular (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the singular number, the inflectional form denoting it, or a word in that form

2 : a singular term

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Choose the Right Synonym for singular

Adjective

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. a journey filled with strange sights singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. a singular feeling of impending disaster unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. a career unique in the annals of science peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. the peculiar status of America's first lady eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. a friend's suddenly erratic behavior odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. an odd sense of humor quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. a quaint fishing village outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. outlandish fashions of the time

Examples of singular in a Sentence

Adjective

In the phrase “his car is red,” the word “car” is a singular noun. He had a singular appearance.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Diplomats say Trump's singular focus on the 2 percent benchmark might be counterproductive. — Gregory Korte, USA TODAY, "As he arrives at NATO summit, President Trump hounds allies over 'delinquent' defense spending," 10 July 2018 And at the end of the day, this could be his most singular accomplishment as president. — Fox News, "Ex-sailor pardoned by Trump reacts to new Clinton probe documents," 3 July 2018 The spacecraft has traveled all this way to a small asteroid, named Ryugu, for a singular purpose: to collect a piece of it and bring it back to Earth. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Japanese Sample Return Spacecraft Reaches Target Asteroid," 27 June 2018 At the same time, voices throughout NATO are questioning whether Trump’s singular focus on the bottom line is doing more to hurt the alliance than to help it. — Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, "Trump wants all of NATO spending 2 percent on defense. But is it so simple?," 10 July 2018 The wines have a singular style that places them somewhere between the robustness of most Napa Chardonnays and the nuanced flavors of white Burgundy. — Bruce Schoenfeld, WIRED, "Your Next Glass of Wine Might Be a Fake—and You'll Love It," 30 May 2018 The highlight of the show is a spacious room toward the end containing a panoply of ikat coats, dyed with singular style and featuring ornate linings of Russian cotton and Indian chintz. — Ryan P. Smith, Smithsonian, "How the Technicolor Ikat Designs of Central Asia Thread Into Textile History," 26 Mar. 2018 From shoulder-grazing drop earrings and mismatched pairs to asymmetrical singular styles and oversized hoops, statement earrings have been trending for the past few seasons – and are showing no signs of slowing down this spring. — Kami Phillips, PEOPLE.com, "Resin Earrings Are the Only Accessory You Need to Buy for Spring," 20 Mar. 2018 The format’s 16-year run featured blowouts and nail-biting finishes in almost equal measure, but every champion had some singular performance that helped make the difference. — Ben Ladner, SI.com, "The 10 Best National Championship Game Performances of the BCS Era," 13 July 2018

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