1
as in particularly
in the specific case of one person or thing as distinguished from others
all employees, but especially the administrative assistants, will need to learn to use the new phone system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extremely
to a great degree
that university is especially strong in the sciences
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in notably
in regard to something mentioned explicitly or in detail
he especially minded the proposed changes to the work schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of especially
The fear of job loss is real, especially where a few large employers anchor local economies.
—
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
The Patriots’ run blocking was seriously lacking against the Raiders, but rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson especially needs to see more than five carries this week against the Dolphins.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Lessons from Quebec’s universal childcare model show that access without quality controls can yield mixed outcomes, especially for infants and toddlers.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Cherry, especially, was relegated to damage control.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for especially
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
The Patriots’ run blocking was seriously lacking against the Raiders, but rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson especially needs to see more than five carries this week against the Dolphins.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Lessons from Quebec’s universal childcare model show that access without quality controls can yield mixed outcomes, especially for infants and toddlers.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Cherry, especially, was relegated to damage control.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for especially
Recent Examples of Synonyms for especially
Adverb
-
The news follows recent reports that women, particularly mothers of young children, are leaving the workforce at an alarming rate.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a risk of flooding, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone regions.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Or consider the extremely rapid development of vaccines during the recent COVID pandemic.—
Alan Lightman
September 12,
Literary Hub,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Kirk has risen in popularity over the years for his extremely polarizing takes, which resulted in a heavy split among reactions to his passing.—
Regina Cho,
VIBE.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
In timber stands, larger dead and down fuels remained available and contributed to fire spread where aligned with topography, most notably at the confluence of Dinky Creek and Bear Creek on the northern flank.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Images of the skinned bear in the residence hall kitchen have circulated on social media, notably Reddit.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
For Thanksgiving, specifically, the search engine says low prices are typically available 24 to 59 days before departure, with the lowest prices offered 35 days out.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
An alternative method is to use a degreasing cleaner specifically designed for kitchen appliances.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
In her latest Jo + Tiny Mic series on Instagram, the Texas native shared four of her favorite secrets to instantly elevate a room, and the principles can be perfectly applied to your fall home decor using Gaines’ very own Magnolia collection at Target.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
-
In heated hearings over the past week, Republicans released very little information about the map’s impact on specific communities across the Kansas City area.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
That idea, that the changes are most prominent in academic writing, comes up a lot, but the shift has been observed beyond academia, too.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Six separate receivers have caught touchdown passes already this season, a stark difference from a season ago when Green was criticized for being too reliant on a small number of playmakers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
But there’s also darkness in Cherry’s past, including an ex-boyfriend who has either terribly wronged her or been terribly wronged by her.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
-
And what if that fight didn’t go terribly well?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
However, these fluctuations are incredibly important, from a cosmic perspective.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Now, glasses are for everyone and have become incredibly versatile.—
Jacquelyn Smith,
Parents,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Especially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especially. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share