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
The attacks took place near Jiyeh, about 12 miles south of the capital, Lebanon's National News Agency said, without specifying if there were casualties.
—
Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 13 May 2026
In 2024, voters approved Proposition 130, requiring that the state direct $350 million to law enforcement, without specifying where the money should come from.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 May 2026
The employees asked Döpfner to take a series of measures in response, including adding a disclaimer to all op-eds specifying that the author’s views do not represent those of Politico or staff.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Warsh’s filings list holdings in two funds that are valued at over $50 million, without specifying an upper limit.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
However, Microsoft’s partner portal website mysteriously said his account had been deactivated, without specifying why.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Jones posted a farewell message to social media Tuesday evening without specifying his next move.
—Matt Young, Houston Chronicle, 7 Apr. 2026
OpenAI’s paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
Access and collaborative agreements — and sometimes even land return agreements — come with requirements specifying what tribes can and cannot do with the land.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 13 May 2026
In 2024, voters approved Proposition 130, requiring that the state direct $350 million to law enforcement, without specifying where the money should come from.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 May 2026
The employees asked Döpfner to take a series of measures in response, including adding a disclaimer to all op-eds specifying that the author’s views do not represent those of Politico or staff.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Warsh’s filings list holdings in two funds that are valued at over $50 million, without specifying an upper limit.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
However, Microsoft’s partner portal website mysteriously said his account had been deactivated, without specifying why.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Jones posted a farewell message to social media Tuesday evening without specifying his next move.
—Matt Young, Houston Chronicle, 7 Apr. 2026
OpenAI’s paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
Access and collaborative agreements — and sometimes even land return agreements — come with requirements specifying what tribes can and cannot do with the land.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specifying
Verb
-
What are the defining traits of a fresh scent?—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
27 May 2026
-
Mamdani is promising to build 200,000 new affordable housing units over the next 10 years while preserving the same number, aiming to tackle the city’s defining contemporary crisis as vacancy rates hit record lows and NYC stares down a middle-class exodus.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The additional compute capacity in France will be used to service Mistral’s customers as well as other AI labs, Mensch said, without mentioning specific companies.—
Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
-
The executive noted that Gucci, founded in 1921, has had dalliances with the car industry and auto racing, mentioning that the grandson of founder Aldo Gucci was a race car drive.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The website offers Zepbound for as low as $299 a month and points patients to LillyDirect, the drug company’s telemedicine service for prescribing the drug.—
Darius Tahir,
USA Today,
25 May 2026
-
Increasingly, however, nurses are team leads who often make decisions on their own, prescribing drugs or treatments and performing advanced diagnostics.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Jim Lehrman, a Pleasanton resident and hydrogeologist, has advocated against the new wells, citing an online petition with over 500 signatures that aims to stop them at risk of further PFAS contamination to the region’s drinking water aquifer.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
-
Authorities identified a woman killed in a three-vehicle crash Tuesday in Deerfield Beach, citing excessive speed as a possible contributing factor in the collision, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.—
Sofia Saric
May 27,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The first step is noticing your own reactivity threshold by identifying the precise moment when a partner’s tone, silence or phrasing triggers a flood of feeling that then drives your behavior.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
-
Despite the brand’s promise of sustainability, shoppers have been noticing fast-fashion tendencies for years.—
Ashley Fetters Maloy,
Washington Post,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Current pricing is indicating virtually no chance of cuts anytime through at least 2027.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
-
An appeals court found that there was no evidence indicating Carroll personally secured the outside funding.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Worth noting Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee is scheduled to begin baseball activities on Tuesday.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
-
The rest of the cast spoke glowingly of Kay as well, noting his propensity for crafting on-set environments that encourage actors to experiment.—
Kai Naima Williams,
Variety,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead of simply quoting an original source without the full context of the surrounding information, the users can choose whether or not to follow the link and better understand the veracity of the author’s claim or statement.—
Jeremy Saks,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
-
In her preface, Corey offers a note of apology for the topic at hand, quoting the author David Sinclair—who, in writing about the Spice Girls, observed that his subject would require him to defend the group’s honor and his own.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Specifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specifying. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
