specify

verb

ˈspe-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce specify (audio)
Definition of specifynext
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

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 specify The Nigerian government has pledged funding for the response, Kaseya said, without specifying an amount. — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Our initial reporting in July did not specify the details of the pipe removal. — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Its public announcement does not specify how the project will be financed or what returns it is expected to generate. — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 The date of the attack was not specified, according to the release. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for specify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specify
  1. define
  2. mention
  3. prescribe
  4. cite
  5. notice
  6. indicate
  7. note
  8. quote
Verb
  • The strategy defines six goals that are intended to address each of the challenges alongside corresponding objectives to guide NASA’s achievements of the goals.
    — David Zamora, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Mega-cap companies are generally defined as those with market capitalizations exceeding $200 billion.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of define
Verb
  • Hegseth's memo does not mention West Point or any other service academy.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In June, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Pyongyang without publicly mentioning the dictator’s nuclear weapons program.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of mention
Verb
  • Of those, the ACLU believes there are about 800 who have been prescribed hormone therapy and many who are also receiving social transition accommodations, Nowlin-Sohl said.
    — Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Notably, most things known to have antidepressant effects increase brain plasticity—such as exercise, electroconvulsive therapy, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors prescribed as antidepressants, and psychedelic drugs.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of prescribe
Verb
  • The Qatari plane left the Iranian capital approximately 30 minutes later, according to aviation tracking data cited by Iran's semi-official Fars News agency.
    — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • But several websites were temporarily down Wednesday morning, citing fear that hackers could take them over.
    — Kevin Collier, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of cite
Verb
  • Senior lineman/tight end Zavion Brown has noticed Litke’s growth.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As petrified parents filed into the warehouse-like church nestled in a strip mall and took seats on folding chairs, Michelle noticed a woman near the front, sitting alone.
    — Taylor Galgano, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of notice
Verb
  • Neither side has indicated when the temporary truce would end.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Individual containers of food were not marked to indicate the food items to be discarded under time as public health control.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of indicate
Verb
  • County lawyers in defending the case noted an autopsy revealed a large quantity of methamphetamine in Garza’s body.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The motion noted that Brockway gave an officer a residence key that was later given to another officer who presumed it to imply consent for entry.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of note
Verb
  • Create content that demonstrates your expertise around the problems your ideal clients or partners are trying to solve, and use each piece to open conversations with the people featured, quoted or referenced.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Wasson, by contrast, kicks off by quoting three letters from prisoners in San Quentin, from 1947, addressed to the warden.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of quote

Browse Nearby Words

specifies
specify
specifying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

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
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All