special needs
plural noun
: any of various difficulties (such as a physical, emotional, behavioral, or learning disability or impairment) that causes an individual to require additional or specialized services or accommodations (such as in education or recreation)
students with special needs
special-needs
adjective
or special needs
special-needs children
a special needs teacher
Examples of special needs in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The film is a spiritual sequel to Taare Zameen Par - Aamir Khan’s 2007 film which raised awareness on children with special needs.
—
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Texas has 66 private schools specifically for children with special needs, according to the association.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
The special needs staff of Jefferson County Public Schools said that low pay has led to more open positions.
—Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
The centers, some of which also focus on children with special needs, received $5.3 million from April 2022 to December 2024 through a stabilization fund provided by the city.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for special needs
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Texas has 66 private schools specifically for children with special needs, according to the association.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
The special needs staff of Jefferson County Public Schools said that low pay has led to more open positions.
—Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
The centers, some of which also focus on children with special needs, received $5.3 million from April 2022 to December 2024 through a stabilization fund provided by the city.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for special needs
Cite this Entry
“Special needs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20needs. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
special needs
noun plural
: the individual requirements (as for education) of a person with a disadvantaged background or a mental, emotional, or physical disability or a high risk of developing one
Some urban homeschooled kids, particularly those with special needs, were previously enrolled in school but not served well there.—Linda Perlstein, Newsweek
Linda Perlstein, Newsweek
special-needs
adjective
special-needs students
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share