1
as in especially
in regard to something mentioned explicitly or in detail
specifically, I object to the second point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in particularly
in the specific case of one person or thing as distinguished from others
the medical study is focused on women, and specifically older women
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of specifically
Ben tells him what’s on the menu — non-Italian dishes like crispy duck spring rolls and wahoo (fish) — but the guests want pasta; specifically, anchovy-lemon pasta.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Alabama is also way better off than FSU is, specifically from an infrastructure and resource standpoint.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Agents are specifically looking for photographs and videos taken by anyone there during that time frame.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
In football, specifically, there is no shortcut.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specifically
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Alabama is also way better off than FSU is, specifically from an infrastructure and resource standpoint.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Agents are specifically looking for photographs and videos taken by anyone there during that time frame.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
In football, specifically, there is no shortcut.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specifically
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specifically
Adverb
-
Creating more majority-Republican districts could leave margins thin enough to allow for Democratic victories, especially if there’s an anti-Trump backlash at the polls this year.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
By the final showdown, the production has made use of every bit of stage space, with sensational flying sequences (choreographed by Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant) that allow the vampires to float, hover, and—in one especially intense moment—dive from that bridge.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Michelle has felt particularly liberated in speaking her mind.—
Peter Slevin,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The white political elite of the former Confederacy assiduously fought the reforms that liberated African Americans, particularly the right to vote, introducing poll taxes and literacy tests, as well as resorting to terrorism by the likes of the Ku Klux Klan to turn back the clock.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
Adverb
-
New use for a common tool There are existing methods for collecting information on coffee’s chemical composition, most notably liquid or gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
-
And Anthropic, for its part, has had to take some cues from OpenAI—notably by making big and expensive data-center deals, such as an expansion in its partnership with Amazon Web Services.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Another go-to breakfast staple, these waffles are specially designed to go in the toaster.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
-
The comic books given out for free on May 2 were printed specially for the event.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Specifically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specifically. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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