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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Australia is home to an extraordinary share of Earth’s biodiversity.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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One minor injury was reported in the extraordinary mishap.—
Anne Flaherty,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In addition to its brand new placements, OVO also returns to a familiar home: the Official Physical Albums chart.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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The crossings also have to be familiar words all the way across those entries.—
Deb Amlen,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Molds belong to the kingdom of Fungi and is a specific form of fungi that grow filament structures known as hyphae.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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Readers should not rely solely on the content of this article and are encouraged to seek professional advice tailored to their specific circumstances.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 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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Galego’s sensuous, intimate paintings speak loudly as the artist herself engages viewers with a soft, ethereal demeanor, underscoring the dreamy otherworldliness of her work.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Kahle said that includes providing resources to participants for whom sharing experiences of intimate partner violence may cause trauma or mental health distress.—
Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Then, the employee might be eligible for a special tax break known as net unrealized appreciation (NUA) that involves taking a lump sum distribution of the stock and rolling over the rest of the 401(k) to an IRA.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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Why the Chargers drafted him: When picking this far at the end of the draft, special teams tends to be the first fit, and Bridges is eager to apply his skills.—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The secret to an exceptional Amatriciana lies in selecting impeccable guanciale Amatriciano—with its perfect balance of tender meat and luxurious fat—creating the foundation upon which this masterpiece is built.—
Jenn Rice,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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His answer, given the exceptional political and economic turmoil in Canada, was a bit surprising.—
Ian Austen,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The new Charlotte Knights’ manager pitched for four MLB teams from 2010 to 2015, recording 30 saves as the closer for the Chicago White Sox in 2011.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2025
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That’s in part thanks to a close collaboration between Stein and Weinstein.—
Leah Abrams,
Them.,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Especial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especial. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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