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specifying

verb

present participle of specify
1
as in defining
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly the document specifies precisely how you may use the information it contains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in mentioning
to make reference to or speak about briefly but specifically police reports didn't specify the model of car the robbers were driving

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 specifying All 50 states are invited to submit a single response, specifying their contributions such as land, infrastructure, funding, and more. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026 Developers may move further from a system’s underlying code toward writing prompts, specifying outcomes and reviewing what AI fills in. — Atul Sabharwal, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 After hearing his lawyer's arguments for a lesser prison term, Judge William Tam said a sentence would be delivered as soon as possible, without specifying a date. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Two days after Marius was convicted, the palace said Mette-Marit had undergone a successful ⁠lung transplant, without specifying when the procedure took place. — Terje Solsvik, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Asking for space—and specifying when the conversation will resume—can protect a relationship by giving both people time to calm down. — Angela Haupt, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 Trump’s top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, pledged additional measures to respond to Canada’s retaliation, without immediately specifying what that would look like. — Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Commissioner Dough Chew answered a few questions after the meeting concluded, specifying that the incident is not a criminal matter and the human resources department is investigating. — Christopher Derose, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 On July 31, 1849, newspapers reported that Porter had died suddenly at the Executive Mansion, without specifying a cause of death. — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specifying
  1. defining
  2. mentioning
  3. prescribing
  4. citing
  5. noticing
  6. indicating
  7. noting
  8. quoting
Verb
  • While some category-defining domain names will assuredly become tomorrow’s durable digital assets, some will prove to be mere expensive bets that the language market later drops.
    — Michael Gargiulo, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Death turns into the defining theme of the episode, with the Grim Reaper stalking the Slow Horses in more ways than one.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of defining
Verb
  • He's become a fan of some of the city's top restaurants, mentioning Cosme, Milos, Mercado Little Spain and Casa Ora, renowned for its Venezuelan cuisine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Massie also accused Hegseth of ignoring laws to minimize civilian casualties in Iran, specifically mentioning the bombing of a girls' school in Iran shortly after the war began.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of mentioning
Verb
  • It may be triggered by prescribing behavior, an emerging patient need, digital engagement or channel preference.
    — Rahul Saluja, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The league spent around 10 years defending a lawsuit accusing its teams of over-prescribing opioids and other painkillers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of prescribing
Verb
  • Officials from both sides have expressed skepticism about AI regulation in recent days, with Trump citing the need to stay ahead of China in AI development as a reason for avoiding guardrails.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Netflix shares fell nearly 5 percent on Friday after Wells Fargo downgraded its stock and price target, citing concerns over user engagement.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of citing
Verb
  • The work is noticing when those desires start directing our behavior.
    — Yann Dang, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Things are suddenly different, starting at work, where the gallery director confesses to noticing him for the first time and a punky feminist artist requests his involvement in her upcoming show.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of noticing
Verb
  • In Shot Mode, the gimbal automatically locates and focuses on the ball, with a solid green LED and confirmation sound indicating when the system is ready to record.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Rookie boundary cornerback Davison Igbinosun had some good reps, but he was pulled from the game mid-drive in his second series, potentially indicating an assignment error.
    — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of indicating
Verb
  • Lawrence bristled at that charge, noting that he's been protesting data centers since last fall when a wave of new projects was proposed across the district and the state.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The state public health department urged Californians to make sure they are vaccinated against measles — noting the disease is spreading in other parts of the country and the world.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of noting
Verb
  • Lee placed the partnership in the context of a broader argument about local content and global reach, quoting Martin Scorsese.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Administration’s legal filings had already pivoted from quoting historical accounts of White House modernization to arguing that the President’s life was at stake.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of quoting

Browse Nearby Words

specify
specifying
specimen
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Cite this Entry

“Specifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specifying. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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