as in only
being the one or ones of a class with no other members
among history's greats Leonardo da Vinci is often considered sui generis—a man of such stupendous genius that the world may never see his like again
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Recent Examples of sui generis
The alchemical match between director and DP remains one of the defining collaborations of Lynch’s career, with Elmes crystallizing Lynch’s nightmarish and entirely sui generis vision of the American underbelly in all those films.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Jan. 2025
There is a good case to be made, therefore, that each of these country-level crises is sui generis.
—Shantayanan Devarajan, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2022
But the project’s early promise has been soured by China’s failure to reach a consensus with the region’s major power and to answer serious questions about whether its handling of Sri Lanka is sui generis or symptomatic of its general approach.
—Andrew Small, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2018
And, what the heck is the matter of being sui generis anyway?
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Jan. 2025
There is a good case to be made, therefore, that each of these country-level crises is sui generis.
—Shantayanan Devarajan, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2022
But the project’s early promise has been soured by China’s failure to reach a consensus with the region’s major power and to answer serious questions about whether its handling of Sri Lanka is sui generis or symptomatic of its general approach.
—Andrew Small, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2018
And, what the heck is the matter of being sui generis anyway?
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sui generis
Adjective
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My past experience - that and the [1983] album [Never Kick a Sleeping Dog] with Mellencamp producing and one other one - were the only ones to reenter [the charts].—
Jim Ryan,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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The Battlestar Galactica, an ancient starship that had been decommissioned, is the only ship to survive the attack.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
3 Aug. 2019
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Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.—
Johannes Himmelreich,
BostonGlobe.com,
30 Mar. 2018
Adjective
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Hansen, who plays forward for the Cougars, had a hat trick in the Class 3A state semifinal and the lone goal in a 1-0 championship game victory over Lake Highland Prep.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2025
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Trump is attempting to remove Cathy Harris, the lone Democrat on the merit board who is currently still serving pending a legal battle.—
Daniel Wiessner,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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For Cheng, the former captain, the Hong Kong Sevens will always hold a special place – with its sea of costumes and unmatched sense of fun.—
Andrew McNicol,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
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Photos and videos: Family photos, vacation videos, special events like weddings or graduations and other personal memories that cannot be recreated.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What makes the company special is its seamless blend of the two founders’ unique strengths and specialties, with one complementing the other without overpowering it.—
Molly Peck,
USA TODAY,
20 Mar. 2025
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Welcome to the world of cannabis wellness retreats—where yoga, meditation, and cannabis come together to create a unique and rejuvenating getaway.—
Matt Rozo,
The Mercury News,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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