1
as in to define
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 to mention
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
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Recent Examples of specify
Winners are responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes, if any, as well as any other costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided.
—
Tim McGovern, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
His contract, however, does not specify that.
—Jeff Fedotin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
There is an uncountable infinity of them, but can this uncountability be specified?
—Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
It was not specified whether this shutdown was the cause of the traffic jam during which the subsequent crash happened.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for specify
Tim McGovern, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
His contract, however, does not specify that.
—Jeff Fedotin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
There is an uncountable infinity of them, but can this uncountability be specified?
—Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2026
It was not specified whether this shutdown was the cause of the traffic jam during which the subsequent crash happened.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for specify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specify
Verb
-
The best bits of Body of Work are defined by the ideas that don’t center Skeletrix in the frame, the half-thoughts and thorny passages that breeze past if you aren’t locked in.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
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While World Cup organizers are heavily promoting certain songs, Herrera says many others will be vying to define the tournament this year.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
For the next five years, Musk rarely mentioned OpenAI in public.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
The January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol is mentioned, as is the administration’s response to the 2020 protests that followed the murder by police of George Floyd.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Allowing pharmacists to prescribe and administer the contraceptive injection would help expand access to birth control across New York.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
Colas, who has been prescribed Mounjaro and has changed her own cooking accordingly, believes that many restaurant owners will need to make adjustments to their menus.—
Connie Ogle
Updated May 15,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The Justice Department cited prosecutorial discretion after the SEC moved to settle a related civil case, even as critics link the retreat to Trump’s suspension of overseas-bribery enforcement.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
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The death of the guard was first reported by the New York Times, citing the Ahmed Shabaik, the mosque’s chairman.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
In an inversion of the more common critical reception of an emerging artist, this new writer’s poetry was often noticed but seldom admired, notwithstanding the Daily Mirror’s snide enthusiasm.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The biggest change many Coloradans will notice is the temperature.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Russian media indicated that the hovercraft was built to carry no more than 10 passengers but was transporting 18 people along with heavy equipment at the time of the incident.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
-
Last month, Miami commissioners had a closed-door attorney-client session known as a shade meeting to discuss the pension lawsuit, indicating that a potential settlement was on the horizon.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The higher-than-normal temperatures will not last, Larson noted.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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On one of the main topics, Beccera noted that the state needs to invest in early years education and reduce class sizes to ensure students have a strong educational foundation for their future success.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Some people quoted lines from his nineties hip-hop group, the Coup; others knew him from the 2011 protest encampment Occupy Oakland.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Granted, his family could never believe he’d quote a New York Yankee.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Specify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specify. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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