such

1 of 3

adjective

ˈsəch  ˈsich 

1

a

: of a kind or character to be indicated or suggested

a bag such as a doctor carries

b

: having a quality to a degree to be indicated

his excitement was such that he shouted

2

: of the character, quality, or extent previously indicated or implied

in the past few years many such women have shifted to full-time jobs

3

: of so extreme a degree or quality

never heard such a hubbub

4

: of the same class, type, or sort

other such clinics throughout the state

5

: not specified

such

2 of 3

pronoun

1

: such a person or thing

2

: someone or something stated, implied, or exemplified

such was the result

3

: someone or something similar : similar persons or things

tin and glass and such

Can such be used as a pronoun?: Usage Guide

For reasons that are hard to understand, commentators on usage disapprove of such used as a pronoun. Dictionaries, however, recognize it as standard; all of the citations upon which our definitions of this word are based are clearly standard.

such

3 of 3

adverb

1

a

: to such a degree : so

such tall buildings

such a fine person

b

: very, especially

hasn't been in such good spirits lately

2

: in such a way

related such that each excludes the other

Phrases

as such

: intrinsically considered : in itself

as such the gift was worth little

Synonyms

Adjective

• akin
• alike
• analogous
• cognate
• comparable
• connate
• correspondent
• corresponding
• ditto
• like
• matching
• parallel
• resemblant
• resembling
• similar
• suchlike

Adverb

• achingly
• almighty
• archly
• awful
• awfully
• badly
• beastly
• blisteringly
• bone
• colossally
• corking
• cracking
• damn
• damned
• dang
• deadly
• desperately
• eminently
• enormously
• especially
• ever
• exceedingly
• exceeding
• extra
• extremely
• fabulously
• fantastically
• far
• fiercely
• filthy
• frightfully
• full
• greatly
• heavily
• highly
• hugely
• immensely
• incredibly
• intensely
• jolly
• majorly
• mightily
• mighty
• monstrous [chiefly dialect]
• mortally
• most
• much
• particularly
• passing
• rattling
• real
• really
• right
• roaring
• roaringly
• seriously
• severely
• so
• sore
• sorely
• spanking
• specially
• stinking
• super
• supremely
• surpassingly
• terribly
• that
• thumping
• too
• unco
• uncommonly
• vastly
• very
• vitally
• way
• whacking
• wicked
• wildly

Examples of such in a Sentence

Adjective

She has published her first sci-fi novel and hopes to write more such novels.

No such agreement was made.

The magazine publishes articles about such varied subjects as astronomy, politics, and gardening.

I've never heard of such a thing!

Pronoun

It is a serious problem and should be treated as such.

If such is the decision, nothing further should be done.

Adverb

I have never seen such a large cat!

I had such a bad headache that I couldn't think straight.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But now, Juan de Lara, an archaeologist at the University of Oxford, has created a virtual model of the Parthenon that upends such beliefs. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2025

What response strategies are enacted after such incidents? —Paul Ponzeka, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

Adverb

These irresponsible journalists should try such worthwhile exercises rather than squander their talents on Trump hatred and national division. —Deroy Murdock, National Review, 20 Mar. 2020

To support such resource-intensive work, in 2003 Banerjee, Duflo, and a colleague founded the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a network of nearly 200 researchers performing such randomized controlled experiments in economics. —Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, 14 Oct. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English swilc; akin to Old High German sulīh such, Old English swā so, gelīk like — more at so, like

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing such

• and such
• as such
• at such short notice
• do no such thing
• ever such
• no such animal
• no such luck
• no such thing
• on such short notice
• or some such
• such and such
• such as
• such as it is
• such is life
• there is no such thing as a free lunch
• to such a degree
• to such an extent
• until such time as

Rhymes for such

• clutch
• crutch
• cutch
• dutch
• hutch
• much
• mutch
• touch
• insomuch
• overmuch
• nonesuch
• retouch

Kids Definition

such

1 of 3 adjective

(ˈ)səch 

(ˌ)sich

1

: of a kind or character to be indicated or suggested

a coat such as a doctor wears

2

: having a quality already specified

deeply moved by such acts of kindness

3

: so great : so remarkable

such a storm

such courage

4

: of the same class, type, or sort : similar

opened three such stores

such

2 of 3 pronoun

1

: such a person or thing

has a plan if it may be called such

2

: someone or something stated, implied, or exemplified

such was the result

such were the Romans

3

: someone or something of the same kind

ships and planes and such

such

3 of 3 adverb

1

: to such a degree : so

such tall buildings

2

: very entry 2 sense 1

hasn't been in such good spirits lately