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 college senior is hoping to assist and possibly teach special needs students after graduation, and has focused her capstone project around the subject.
—
Preston Mizell, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The teams also visit people in hospitals, in hospice, with special needs or developmental challenges and those dealing with disasters.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
In 2019, Pulte offered to help a Marine veteran seeking help to purchase an expensive service dog for his special needs son.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
The situation highlights the systemic challenges in safeguarding children with special needs, particularly when caregivers provide conflicting or misleading accounts.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for special needs
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Preston Mizell, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The teams also visit people in hospitals, in hospice, with special needs or developmental challenges and those dealing with disasters.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
In 2019, Pulte offered to help a Marine veteran seeking help to purchase an expensive service dog for his special needs son.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
The situation highlights the systemic challenges in safeguarding children with special needs, particularly when caregivers provide conflicting or misleading accounts.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 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 18 Oct. 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
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