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 behavior is especially impactful for young boys whose brains are still developing; teenagers’ executive functioning, abstract thinking and decision-making skills continue to form through age 25.
—
Rachel Hale, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
These plants are drought-resistant but like some water, especially in the summer, when watering two to three times per week is optimal.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Men in drag had long been staples especially in comedic works.
—Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Nix, Cosell explained, left a lot of plays on the field, especially early in games.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for especially
Rachel Hale, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
These plants are drought-resistant but like some water, especially in the summer, when watering two to three times per week is optimal.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Men in drag had long been staples especially in comedic works.
—Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Nix, Cosell explained, left a lot of plays on the field, especially early in games.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for especially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for especially
Adverb
-
The evacuees skewed younger, particularly adults between 26 and 34, stripping the state’s future workforce and tax base.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Their presence reflects the ongoing exchange between the Chinese and Korean fashion industries, particularly among younger consumers who closely follow both markets.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
One of the more important revelations from Netanyahu’s press conference was about how the joint strikes with the United States, known as Operation Epic Fury, have been extremely effective at decimating Iran’s weapons.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Yet, actual bones have been extremely rare.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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And notably, in Australia’s case, co-locating these in proximity to fiber production areas, to encourage the rebuilding of early stage fiber processing.—
Patty Huntington,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Mar. 2026
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The city also packs a punch in terms of cultural offerings, most notably through The Fishers Art Center, where locals can take pottery, painting, and drawing classes, and explore contemporary art exhibitions.—
Amelia Mularz,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The Longhorns - specifically Miller - wasn't popular with the Dayton fans, who always pack the First Four.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
-
While discussing current events, and specifically the military conflict with Iran, Reid said that Iranians were justified in disliking the United States due to the 1953 coup in which Iran’s Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh was overthrown, an effort that Great Britain and the United States aided.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
After all, a sandy dance floor calls for a very different footwear strategy than a reception set atop a stone terrace—if shoes are required at all.—
Sarah Zendejas,
Vogue,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The start of the day seemed very normal to me.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Don’t worry too much about things being perfect, either.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2026
-
While humans can guide robots remotely, the process is mentally exhausting and often too slow to prevent sudden failures.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
In Geekbench, the A18 Pro’s single-core speeds weren't terribly far behind the A16’s multi-core<\/em> speeds.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
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Also, stars in this frenzied state aren’t terribly stable; the fusion rate can be tempestuous, and the star undergoes incredibly violent paroxysms.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The conditioner is incredibly moisturizing and the shampoo lathers up nicely.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
-
That pricing makes scaling incredibly simple.—
Nishant Pant,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Especially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especially. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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