special military operation
A military situation resembling a war; especially the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The government calls the conflict a special military operation.”
“International observers argue that the term special military operation does not accurately describe the scale of the ongoing invasion.”
“Families in the region often use the phrase special military operation when they want to avoid legal trouble with the local authorities for discussing the war.”
“While the state media consistently refers to the campaign as a special military operation, global leaders maintain that the actions constitute a full-scale war.”
first recorded 21st c.
Calque of Russian специа́льная вое́нная опера́ция (speciálʹnaja vojénnaja operácija), a phrase used by Vladimir Putin upon launching an attack on Ukraine on 24 February 2022: In this regard, in accordance with Article 51 of Part 7 of the UN Charter, with the approval of the Federation Council of Russia and in pursuance of the treaties of friendship and mutual assistance ratified by the Duma on 22 February with the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, I decided to launch a special military operation.
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special delivery
Something—whether desirable or undesirable—which is intentionally given to a specific individual or which an individual receives rapidly and unexpectedly; the personalized, direct quality of the transmission of such an item.
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special needs
Needs for special care, services or accommodations for people with disabilities.
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special relationship
A political and diplomatic relationship between two countries that is particularly close and is considered to be based on deep historical and ideological ties rather than merely common interests; especially:
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special treatment
A form of exceptional handling or care that differs from the standard, often implying favoritism.
Last updated August 10, 2026