ESPECIALLY Synonyms: 160 Similar and Opposite Words

especially

adverb

i-ˈspe-shə-lē

Definition of especially

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

as in extremely

to a great degree that university is especially strong in the sciences

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 That is especially true in California where lawmakers in recent years have pushed through ambitious regulations in the face of strong opposition and lawsuit threats from companies. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026 This is especially alarming as 1 in 8 women in America will develop breast cancer. — Lyndon Haviland, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 And remember to drive carefully, especially when the road narrows to a single lane. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 Single digits—and even colder conditions, especially at elevation on Jackson Hole Mountain—are not uncommon. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for especially

Recent Examples of Synonyms for especially

Adverb

One particularly promising example is an MRI technique that identifies the central vein sign, a feature that can help physicians distinguish lesions associated with MS from abnormalities caused by other conditions.

— Bruce Bebo, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
Many stores, particularly luxury boutiques within Milan's fashion district including Omega, Tiffany and Gucci, boarded up their front windows.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of particularly

Adverb

Some wondered whether Schrödinger’s equation might be an approximation that works extremely well at the microscopic scale but breaks down at the macroscopic scale, which would mean the measurement postulate of the Copenhagen interpretation is right.

— Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
In the meantime, no one should refrain from using sunscreen, which is extremely well-proven to cause cancer.

— Tracy Middleton, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

Researchers specifically tested whether adding Imdelltra could help patients live longer than continuing Imfinzi alone, which is already approved as a first treatment for this type of lung cancer.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Staff who work at harm reduction clinics set up specifically to help men who use steroids tell me that twenty years ago there were fewer users, and those users took longer breaks between cycles at lower doses.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of specifically

Adverb

And Winnie-the-Pooh continues to sit, in a thoughtful sort of way, which is what very old bears in very nice glass cases mostly do.

— STEVE HENDRIX THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
The Dolphins’ attendance has dropped significantly so far this season, albeit in a very limited sample size.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

But the clean provenance and their New York highlife has never appeased Pooh partisans who think Fifth Avenue is much too far from the Hundred Acre Wood.

— STEVE HENDRIX THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
The implication was that his predecessor Scott Stuber had overpaid for talent and too-ambitiously committed to a new Netflix movie release every week in 2022.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of too

Adverb

While these issues can be addressed, the costs can be incredibly high, and under Florida law, developers are only on the hook for anything identified within the first seven years after a building is handed over to the homeowners association.

— Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
The pre-selection debates about three- or four-loss SEC squads and some team no one actually watches will prove incredibly tiresome, too.

— Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of incredibly

Browse Nearby Words

especial

especially

espial

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Especially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/especially. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of especially

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes