1
as in particularly
in the specific case of one person or thing as distinguished from others
all employees, but especially the administrative assistants, will need to learn to use the new phone system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extremely
to a great degree
that university is especially strong in the sciences
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in notably
in regard to something mentioned explicitly or in detail
he especially minded the proposed changes to the work schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of especially
The fact that your gut doesn’t function well in the heat is especially problematic because your muscles demand more fuel in hot conditions.
—
Brad Stulberg, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The Marlins face an uphill climb to make the playoffs in 2026, especially in the crowded NL East.
—Takashi Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The city’s Park and Recreation Department keeps tabs on the park, with help from the Police Department, but officers can’t be at the park at all times, especially in the later hours, to catch riders consistently.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Saturn’s rings of dust and rocky ice, lit up by the sun, are especially striking.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for especially
Brad Stulberg, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The Marlins face an uphill climb to make the playoffs in 2026, especially in the crowded NL East.
—Takashi Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The city’s Park and Recreation Department keeps tabs on the park, with help from the Police Department, but officers can’t be at the park at all times, especially in the later hours, to catch riders consistently.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Saturn’s rings of dust and rocky ice, lit up by the sun, are especially striking.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for especially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for especially
Adverb
-
And in late February, just as attention began to shift away from Gaza, Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Iran—a potentially epochal war that may end up dividing Jewish Americans no less than the Gaza war did, particularly if the conflict drags on and casualties mount.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And the Panthers feel safe with the rest of their inside linebacker depth to not have to pay a lot of money to retain a backup, particularly with the way Cherelus played in 2025.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The particles that make up these dark nebulae are of a finite size, and that size is extremely good at absorbing visible light.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
-
David’s view The voters most keen to talk with political reporters are, typically, extremely engaged in politics.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
His younger brother, Avner, maintains a notably more private profile.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Ironically, clicking the mute control that sits atop the Light Mount's volume knob is notably louder than the rest of the buttons on the keyboard.—
Aubrey Jowers,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
For the third game in a row, Towns — a six-time All-Star specifically for his scoring gifts — was invisible on offense in the first half before imposing his will over the second two quarters as the Knicks attempted to punch themselves back into a game.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Botanical Gardens next door includes the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, specifically designed for children.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Although winds will be mostly light, between 5 and 10 mph, the dry air combined with very dry vegetation will result in a continuation of elevated fire danger.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Bartle may have been right, but for some Chiefs fans and stadium developers with billions of public dollars at stake, that state line probably feels very real.—
Elijah Winkler,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The war has upended the travel industry, too, with forecasters estimating airfares — which have jumped sixfold on some routes — will remain high for months.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Democrats are laying the groundwork to oppose a photo ID bill Republicans will bring to the Senate floor Thursday, arguing that voting laws are best left to the states or that the legislation before them is too restrictive.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Had something gone terribly, terribly wrong?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Something is terribly wrong in Chicago.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
In the transfer portal era, making contributions at a championship-caliber program like Ohio State as a true freshman are incredibly rare.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The first thing that struck me was the gold necklace’s incredibly lightweight nature, clocking in at just 25 grams.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Especially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especially. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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