specificity

noun

ˌspe-sə-ˈfi-sə-tē How to pronounce specificity (audio)
Definition of specificitynext
as in accuracy
careful thoroughness of detail the specificity of your description of your medical condition was a bit more than I needed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 specificity Jenkins says the specificity with which Conrad treats his characters was the hook. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Values as Infrastructure As polarization has made some executives more cautious about public stances, Public Good’s bet is that specificity, not volume, is the way through. — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Accuracy, specificity, and consistency are paramount, beginning with how each staffer writes their recipes, and in how senior editors edit them. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026 Chalk that up to its regional specificity, chaotic energy, and a cast of working-class characters more likely to get into a fight with someone named Crystal Meth than an office romance. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for specificity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specificity
  1. accuracy
  2. precision
  3. attentiveness
  4. particularity
  5. explicitness
  6. carefulness
Noun
  • Unilever’s reported forecast-accuracy gain and a faster acquisition screen are operational improvements.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The finding could matter for quantum computers, where lasers are used to manipulate qubits and even tiny changes in their interactions can affect the accuracy of quantum operations.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of accuracy
Noun
  • Some help surgeons operate with greater precision, while others disinfect rooms, transport supplies, assist patients during rehabilitation, or provide comfort to people who are distressed.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Earl showed precision with both short and deep balls, like on successive 45-yard scoring tosses.
    — Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of precision
Noun
  • The opening up to the friendship with Renata, the attentiveness with Luis, and not being set on killing Negan are monumental changes for her.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Thanks to the controller’s attentiveness, a possible mid-air collision may have been prevented, especially if the pilots operating the individual planes thought the controller was giving them the same flight instructions.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of attentiveness
Noun
  • The court did not decide whether the particular geofence warrant ultimately satisfied the Fourth Amendment's probable cause and particularity requirements.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Tia and Tamera Mowry Being a twin can be weird, and being a famous twin must come with its own unique particularities.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of particularity
Noun
  • Pretty Baby had been banned in many countries for its explicitness, particularly nude scenes featuring the underage Shields, but that didn't deter overzealous fans in the French Riviera.
    — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
  • The film frankly depicts the extreme sub-dom relationship that Erika lures Elliot into, peppered with Araki’s trademark playful-surrealism while committed to a certain, refreshing explicitness.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026
Definition of explicitness
Noun
  • This carefulness is clearly strategic.
    — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • There was no carefulness in it.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Definition of carefulness

Browse Nearby Words

specification(s)
specificity
specifics
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Specificity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specificity. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gumption

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All