1
as in extraordinary
being out of the ordinary
a candidate who handled the stunning defeat with especial grace
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in familiar
closely acquainted
he told his especial friends about the job offer but kept everyone else in the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in specific
of a particular or exact sort
with a very ordinary lawn, we don't have any especial need for a gardener
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of especial
The city has an especial affinity for literature.
—
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 2 Mar. 2022
Delivery is important in any form of storytelling, and in observational comedy cadence is the especial engine of wit.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
This project had drawn his attention to Pine Island Bay as a coastal area where the outer edge of glaciers might calve or break apart into icebergs with especial rapidity.
—Marissa Grunes, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023
Years later, a place detective, who has suffered her own loss, travels to the village to reopen the case and develops an especial bond with the missing boy’s mother, who has never given up hope that Briel could still be alive.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for especial
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 2 Mar. 2022
Delivery is important in any form of storytelling, and in observational comedy cadence is the especial engine of wit.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
This project had drawn his attention to Pine Island Bay as a coastal area where the outer edge of glaciers might calve or break apart into icebergs with especial rapidity.
—Marissa Grunes, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023
Years later, a place detective, who has suffered her own loss, travels to the village to reopen the case and develops an especial bond with the missing boy’s mother, who has never given up hope that Briel could still be alive.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for especial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for especial
Adjective
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Competing against 12 choirs from across California — including teams from Los Angeles County, Visalia, Sacramento, and San Diego — as well as schools from Arizona and Nevada, the young ensemble scored an extraordinary 99 out of 100 points, according to a news release.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2025
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Stone’s life meandered from extraordinary creative highs to long periods of creative inactivity marked by questionable choices, in his career and in his life.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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The looks on display were all too familiar, making the joke even that much funnier for its sense of radical honesty.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
4 May 2025
-
This is perhaps a good quality, as that is a familiar feeling when attending a large event.—
Matt Shaw,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
Adjective
-
Passengers should consider paying extra for seat assignments on long flights, when traveling with companions, or if a specific seat type is essential for comfort.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
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It was suspended across the states during the entire Civil War; in counties in South Carolina that were overrun by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction; in specific places in the Philippines during an insurrection in 1905; and in Hawaii following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
In that respect, Alonso is not necessarily unusual.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
-
If anything seems unusual, trust your instincts and stop the communication immediately.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
Lower-income Californians also are more likely to live in tight quarters, making privacy for an intimate therapy session difficult.—
Phillip Reese,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
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In two weeks, guests will visit UNESCO sites like Luang Prabang, witness elephants in their natural habitats, attend an intimate Baci ceremony led by a Lao prince, attend a private fashion show from one of Cambodia’s top designers, take a helicopter tour over the Khmer temples of Angkor, and more.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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They’ll be joined by the likes of Le Goy, Sony Pictures Television President Katherine Pope, International Production boss Wayne Garvie and several unannounced special guests.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
9 May 2025
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Rather than fret over trends, make intentional alterations to the floor plan that feel special and not builder-grade, McSwain says.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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In 1982, Israel demonstrated exceptional tactical precision in Operation Mole Cricket 19 in the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, destroying the majority of Syrian aircraft without suffering a single loss.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
-
His rise has been exceptional since signing from Middlesbrough, establishing himself among Emery’s most important players.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Simple solution: The Derby and Preakness are too close at 14 days apart.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2025
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Ivanka Trump may live among us in Miami Beach, but don’t get too close.—
Madeleine Marr,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Especial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especial. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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