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

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 specifically In 2025, the market has distributed over $15,500 in redeemable SNAP tokens, and an additional $10,550 of Double Up Food Bucks specifically for fruits and vegetables, according to the organization. Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Oct. 2025 For the latter, Brewer read up on the reaction to Chappelle's jokes about the LGBTQ community, specifically transgender people. Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025 Some Southerners specifically save their turkey to toss into gumbo the next day. Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025 City and transit officials have announced safety initiatives specifically targeting buses, trains and uptown since the stabbing. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for specifically
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specifically
Adverb
  • The other women were absolutely shocked — especially Ali.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The production draws on a long history of curiosity amusements in which people looked to be entertained by viewing others with unusual or non-normative bodies, especially in nineteenth-century Western circus and dime museums.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Finn Balor is particularly upset with Mysterio for not pulling his weight within the faction.
    Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The department will be asking the state legislature for $120 million in additional funding, but the money is not guaranteed to be approved, particularly in the face of budget uncertainty after Congress passed a bill in July that puts new financial burdens on states.
    Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Moreover, the purification and refining process works with many types of biowaste, notably food, sewage sludge, algal bloom, swine manure, and agricultural residue.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
  • His fiction, neither notably blood-soaked nor mythologically freighted, also differs starkly from the work of Larry McMurtry and Cormac McCarthy, contemporaries who likewise were famously steeped in the West.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The Russian 9x19mm 7N31 cartridge is specially engineered to defeat modern body armor while maintaining effectiveness against unarmored targets.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The pH-balanced formula is specially designed to shield hair from external aggressors—including pollution, sun damage, and heat tools.
    Mary Honkus, Glamour, 29 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Specifically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specifically. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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