1
as in extraordinary
being out of the ordinary
a candidate who handled the stunning defeat with especial grace
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in familiar
closely acquainted
he told his especial friends about the job offer but kept everyone else in the dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in specific
of a particular or exact sort
with a very ordinary lawn, we don't have any especial need for a gardener
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of especial
The city has an especial affinity for literature.
—
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 2 Mar. 2022
Delivery is important in any form of storytelling, and in observational comedy cadence is the especial engine of wit.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
This project had drawn his attention to Pine Island Bay as a coastal area where the outer edge of glaciers might calve or break apart into icebergs with especial rapidity.
—Marissa Grunes, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023
Years later, a place detective, who has suffered her own loss, travels to the village to reopen the case and develops an especial bond with the missing boy’s mother, who has never given up hope that Briel could still be alive.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for especial
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 2 Mar. 2022
Delivery is important in any form of storytelling, and in observational comedy cadence is the especial engine of wit.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023
This project had drawn his attention to Pine Island Bay as a coastal area where the outer edge of glaciers might calve or break apart into icebergs with especial rapidity.
—Marissa Grunes, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023
Years later, a place detective, who has suffered her own loss, travels to the village to reopen the case and develops an especial bond with the missing boy’s mother, who has never given up hope that Briel could still be alive.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for especial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for especial
Adjective
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Harvard University President Alan Garber released an open letter today that provided an exceptional example of leadership integrity when faced with extraordinary external pressure.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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As the investigation unfolds, attention is likely to remain on both the technical aspects of the crash and the extraordinary lives lost in an instant.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The panel did not stray from their earlier guesses for him, throwing out familiar names like Dave Matthews, Daryl Hall, and Pat Monahan of Train once more.—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Cannes Film Festival head Thierry Frémaux said there’s more to come, but this wasn’t your typical Cannes Competition lineup studded with older, familiar auteurs.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The models are also trained to follow instructions more literally, which requires careful and specific prompting but allows for greater control over the output.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Hilbert mentioned some specific subgoals, however, and researchers have since refined his vision into concrete steps toward its solution.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Although not musicians, the Goldbergs quickly realized there was something unusual about their 3-year-old boy.—
Steve Rothaus,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
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For one group of six girls living in Waterloo, Canada, their lives took an unusual turn when a couple of very territorial geese decided to claim their front lawn as their own.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Maddox found relief through photography and writing, including Motherhood: The Thread That Holds Us Together, a portrait study capturing the raw, vulnerable, and intimate moments of the motherhood journey that aren’t often seen, to combat isolation.—
Essence,
Essence,
14 Apr. 2025
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The shows are produced by both Audible and Together, a new company that Jackman and producer Sonia Friedman launched to create intimate and accessible live theater.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Lawmakers can call themselves back to the Capitol in Boise for special sessions with a petition signed by at least 60% of the House and Senate.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
15 Apr. 2025
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Typically, a Seder plate is made up for the special gathering and contains six parts that symbolize Exodus.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This compact security camera offers exceptional value and robust features in a tiny design.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this exceptional community.—
Prime Development,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And Amanda Marsalis and April Blair are some of my closest friends now.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
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Famous detective Sherlock Holmes faces a case where the lives of his closest friends are at risk.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Especial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especial. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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