SINCE 1828
special
adjective
spe·cial
| \ ˈspe-shəl
\
\
Definition of special
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: distinguished by some unusual quality
especially
: being in some way superior
our special blend
2
: held in particular esteem
a special friend
3a
: readily distinguishable from others of the same category : unique
they set it apart as a special day of thanksgiving
4
: being other than the usual : additional, extra
5
: designed for a particular purpose or occasion
special
nounDefinition of special (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: one that is used for a special service or occasion
caught the commuter special to work
2
: something (such as a television program) that is not part of a regular series
3
: a featured dish at a restaurant
the specials of the day
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Synonyms for special
Synonyms: Adjective
alone, lone, one, one-off, only, singular, sole, solitary, sui generis, unique
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Examples of special in a Sentence
Adjective
This is a special case and I want you to handle it personally. Only under special circumstances will you be allowed to retake the test. Your many years of service put you in a special category. Why should you receive any special treatment? It takes a special quality to do what he did. This is a very special occasion. Are you doing anything special over the holidays? We have a special guest tonight—the mayor. No one is more special to me than my wife. He always made her feel special.Noun
a one-hour special on whales Today's lunch special is chili. The specials are on the board. They were having a special on paper towels so I stocked up.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
According to Windows Central, Microsoft is preparing to unveil a cross-platform SDK (or XDK) at the Game Developers Conference in March at a special session. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft reportedly wants to use Xbox Live to support cross-platform games like Fortnite," 4 Feb. 2019 People keep a special place in their heart for romantic comedies. — Vogue, "The 55 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time," 1 Feb. 2019 Victoria and Vicky Vicky was widely considered Albert's favorite child, but there is no doubt that the Princess Royal held a special place in both of her parents' hearts. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "What Was Queen Victoria Like as a Mother?," 13 Jan. 2019 This campaign holds a very special place in the history of this country. — Stavros Agorakis, Vox, "“I’m so fucking proud of you guys”: watch Beto O’Rourke’s emotional concession speech," 7 Nov. 2018 While highly impractical, these tiny purses are dainty and cute for special occasions. — Marina Liao, Marie Claire, "5 Handbag Trends to Keep Your Eyes on in 2019," 22 Jan. 2019 Until now, GeForce GPUs only worked with Nvidia’s rival G-Sync monitors, which require special hardware and thus cost much more money. — Brad Chacos, PCWorld, "6 important CES 2019 reveals and trends that PC enthusiasts need to know about," 11 Jan. 2019 Even more special because this dress was named after her! — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Black Panther’s Lupita Nyong'o & Danai Gurira Stunned at the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles," 6 Jan. 2019 Each episode of the Netflix show will be based on one of the singer's iconic hits, similar to her 2015 NBC special, Coat of Many Colors. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Julianne Hough Will Star in Dolly Parton's Netflix Series," 31 Dec. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The new trailer for the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina holiday special is here and things are getting darker than ever now that Sabrina is a full witch. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Everything We Know About the "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Holiday Special," 5 Dec. 2018 Ragland was seen hanging out with Oprah, prompting speculation that a TV special was in the works. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "The Real Reason Oprah Sent Meghan Markle's Mom, Doria Ragland, a Basket of Fruit," 12 June 2018 Also, the Friday lunch special is prime rib at Lonesome Dove. — Bud Kennedy, star-telegram, "Where to go for prime rib? An old favorite has a 2-for-$80 special," 7 June 2018 From specialty chocolates and heavenly candles to high-end headphones and glam accessories, there's something for everyone in this holiday edit. 'Tis the season for getting together — and looking extra-special doing so. — Nicola Fumo, Harper's BAZAAR, "Thoughtful Gifts For Everyone On Your List," 12 Dec. 2018 Start with a bunch of mezze like hummus, spanakopita, and grape leaves; for entrées, try one of the fresh catches on the blackboard specials. — Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Best Day Trips from Houston," 12 Oct. 2018 That would mean a Djoko-Fed showdown in the quarters—an early-bird special for a matchup that is final-worthy. — Jason Gay, WSJ, "Fun Anarchy at the 2018 U.S. Open," 26 Aug. 2018 Lynne also worked on TV specials for performers from a variety of musical genres, including Ray Charles, Perry Como, Sammy Davis Jr., Ringo Starr, Carol Channing and Shelley Winters. — Nardine Saad, latimes.com, "Gillian Lynne, the energetic ballerina who choreographed 'Cats' and 'Phantom of the Opera,' dies at 92," 2 July 2018 Little Havana Little Havana will be roasting a pig and will have drink specials, plus $3 off regular tacos until 10 p.m. 1325 Key Highway. — Chris Kaltenbach, baltimoresun.com, "Where to find the best view of Baltimore's Fourth of July fireworks," 25 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'special.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for special
special
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of special
(Entry 1 of 2)
: different from what is normal or usual
especially
: unusual in a good way : better or more important than others
: especially important or loved
: more than is usual
special
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of special (Entry 2 of 2)
: a television or radio program that is not part of a regular series
: a meal that is not on a restaurant's usual menu
See the full definition for special in the English Language Learners Dictionary
special
adjective
spe·cial
| \ ˈspe-shəl
\
\
Kids Definition of special
1
: unusual and better in some way : extraordinary
a special occasion To an outsider, it wouldn't sound all that special. But to the ears of a Pickwell kid, it was magic.— Jerry Spinelli, Maniac Magee
2
: liked very well
a special friend
3
: different from others : unique
a special case
4
: extra entry 1
a special edition
5
: meant for a particular purpose or occasion
a special diet
special
adjective
spe·cial
Legal Definition of special
1
: distinguished by some unusual quality
2
: relating to a single thing or class of things : having an individual character or trait
owed them a special duty not owed to the public at large
3a
: supplemental to the regular
b
: assigned or provided to meet a need not covered under established procedures
4
: designed or selected for a particular purpose, occasion, or other end
family courts are courts of limited and special jurisdiction — Cleveland v. Cleveland, 559 P.2d 744 (1977)
5
: containing particulars and details
a special pleading
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