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

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in notably
in regard to something mentioned explicitly or in detail he especially minded the proposed changes to the work schedule

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of especially Both repeatability and reliability are fundamental and crucial for a testing algorithm’s validity, fairness, and practical feasibility, especially for standardization, according to the paper. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025 Current and former staffers, most of whom asked not to be named in order to speak candidly on the subject, told CNBC that several years of persistent cost cutting and layoffs have damaged morale, while pressure has simultaneously been building to innovate faster, especially around AI. Annie Palmer, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025 But the campaign also served as a potential gauge of national sentiment, especially how voters are reacting to the president’s second term and Democrats’ messaging ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025 Poor drainage can lead to root rot, especially if your lavender is planted in an area with wet or clay-heavy soil. Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for especially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for especially
Adverb
  • Satire is brilliant for exposing the folly of humans, especially those in power and those working in bad faith—the hypocrites and the frauds—and can be particularly potent when set in irrational or dystopic times.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
  • His win shows a collective institutional political fatigue, and inspires hope, in a particularly dark time, that there is new light and new solutions to be found in American politics beyond the binary confines of institutional Democrats.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Nineteenth-century reporters could be extremely casual with facts and guessed at the spelling of names.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • The political situation had other consequences with a number of oriundi, most notably Enrique Guaita, returning to South America for fear of being called up to fight in Abyssinia.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • But on Tuesday, Democrats gained notably at the ballot box, reenergizing the party.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • The committee did not specifically call for the US to stop arms sales to the UAE.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • For young people specifically, there has been a boom in run club popularity post-COVID as a way to form community and meet both friends and romantic partners.
    Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • And then, in the very last draft, my editor asked me to clarify for her how the science worked.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Krasinski also has the least interesting yet very successful Hollywood career imaginable, but that doesn’t mean he should be exiled or worse.
    Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Fast and Free High-rise Tight 25-inch 5-pocket There’s simply no such thing as having too many pockets, as exhibited by these fan-favorite five-pocket leggings, which are currently $69.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Meaning, his sons balance a hearty rotation of sports and academics, but the Farrers are also diligent about working in time for volunteer projects, too.
    Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • With its frozen setting, enigmatic characters, and haunting tone, Let The Right One In is, at its core, a twisted and terribly sad love story — as all the best vampire movies are.
    Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Something went terribly wrong in the flavor-infusion process.
    Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Flares such as this one reveal the presence of incredibly large stars near the hearts of galaxies and shed light on the very structure of galaxies, Ford said.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Over the last 10 years the floor on theatrical performance has dropped out, so distributors need to be incredibly careful about project selection and assumptions at acquisition stage.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Especially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especially. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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