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
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Recent Examples of specifying
An Amazon Web Services (AWS) spokesperson said the disruption was ongoing, without specifying the exact location affected or any potential damage done.
—
CBS News, 24 Mar. 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
What Sheridan isn’t shy about specifying is what’s wrong with the present.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2026
The bill also removes language specifying that an officer is not justified in using force during an arrest if the arrest is unlawful.
—Marta Zherukha, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Apple isn't specifying what changes were made—likely a combination of a wider-bandwidth controller, faster NAND flash for lower latency, and platform-level improvements introduced with the M5-series chips—but the company does claim up to two-times-faster SSD performance.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Sri Lanka is not allowing the ship to dock but is providing some humanitarian assistance, Cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa said Wednesday, without specifying if the ship was a commercial or naval vessel.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026
The festival said the Official Selection of the 79th edition will be unveiled mid-April without specifying a date.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Apart from specifying that the number of wolves had to exceed the state’s endangerment cutoff, legislators never defined what such a sustainable level might be.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
CBS News, 24 Mar. 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
What Sheridan isn’t shy about specifying is what’s wrong with the present.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2026
The bill also removes language specifying that an officer is not justified in using force during an arrest if the arrest is unlawful.
—Marta Zherukha, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Apple isn't specifying what changes were made—likely a combination of a wider-bandwidth controller, faster NAND flash for lower latency, and platform-level improvements introduced with the M5-series chips—but the company does claim up to two-times-faster SSD performance.
—Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Sri Lanka is not allowing the ship to dock but is providing some humanitarian assistance, Cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa said Wednesday, without specifying if the ship was a commercial or naval vessel.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026
The festival said the Official Selection of the 79th edition will be unveiled mid-April without specifying a date.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Apart from specifying that the number of wolves had to exceed the state’s endangerment cutoff, legislators never defined what such a sustainable level might be.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specifying
Verb
-
The Astor family were the defining dynasty of New York's Gilded Age, and that spirit of grandeur and meticulous hosting has traveled with the brand ever since.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Dowd returns to her career-defining role as Aunt Lydia, who is now the leader of the school where Agnes and Daisy are students.—
Alex Cramer,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Even being here strictly on assignment, there’s a patina of guilt around even mentioning Kanye that’s become impossible to scrub off.—
Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
-
That didn’t stop several neighbors from mentioning the Chicago Bulls great by name Monday night.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The number of providers increased steadily from 88 in fiscal year 2017 to 373 in fiscal year 2024, and pushing providers to stop prescribing more hours than necessary will free up sessions for additional children, Bimestefer said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
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Another concern raised by experts is the unintended consequences of prescribing the medication, which is commonly used during cancer treatment.—
Michal Ruprecht,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, despite this, legal experts have raised concerns that Trump could try to sidestep Congress’s NATO guardrail by citing presidential authority over foreign policy.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The space exploration company submitted a draft IPO filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, with a possible listing expected in June, the news outlet reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Writers Raoul Groothuizen and Christina Poppe came up with the idea back in 2018, after noticing a sharp rise in racist rhetoric among the Flemish far-right.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Scientists had long assumed most of the moon lay beyond the protection of Earth’s magnetic field, but in 2019 scientists began noticing something odd about the experiment’s data that suggested the moon was somewhat protected from galactic cosmic rays.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One skeleton estimated at 10,000–12,000 years old was surrounded by evidence of bonfires, possibly indicating funerary rituals involving light.—
Ryan Brennan
April 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His images show Kathrin standing in a dark blazer, flanked by security guards, next to a sign indicating that photography is forbidden.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Social Circle doesn't have the infrastructure needed for a facility of that size, noting the town's water permit is limited to just one million gallons a day.—
Nakell Williams,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
At 8%, CPD has the lowest percentage of civilians among the 30 largest police departments in America, the study says, noting New York has a percentage of 31 and Los Angeles 24%.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The firm said in a statement that its restructuring is intended to support the long-term sustainable growth of its pricing, quoting and booking platform.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Hunter has started quoting prices that reflect the jump in prices.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Specifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specifying. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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