Word
specialize
Definition
v. to focus most of your time and effort on one specific subject, skill, or area of work.
v. to concentrate one's efforts or interests on a particular field of study, professional activity, or biological niche. Intransitive — requires a prepositional phrase to specify the area of focus.
Examples
“I want to specialize in international law after I graduate.”
“Many local bakeries choose to specialize in gluten-free products to meet the growing demand from health-conscious customers.”
“While general practitioners provide a broad range of care, many medical students eventually choose to specialize in fields like cardiology or neurology to master more complex procedures.”
Examples
simple
“I want to specialize in international law after I graduate.”
contextual
“Many local bakeries choose to specialize in gluten-free products to meet the growing demand from health-conscious customers.”
complex
“While general practitioners provide a broad range of care, many medical students eventually choose to specialize in fields like cardiology or neurology to master more complex procedures.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “specialize” in context.
Verb
01. increasingly specialize in technology
“Law firms increasingly specialize in technology to handle complex intellectual property cases.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
02. specialize and collaborate
“In modern research, scientists often specialize and collaborate across different disciplines.”
verb + and + verb
03. specialize in marketing
“After graduating, she decided to specialize in digital marketing to help small businesses grow.”
verb + prep + noun
04. specialize in pediatric medicine
“The clinic is looking for doctors who specialize in pediatric medicine.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
Adverb
05. highly specialize in surgery
“The hospital employs surgeons who highly specialize in minimally invasive procedures.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
06. narrowly specialize in law
“Some consultants narrowly specialize in maritime law rather than general practice.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
Usage
The verb is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'in' before the subject of focus.
Pitfall
He specializes international law
He specializes in international law
Specialize is an intransitive verb and requires the preposition 'in' to connect to its object.
Real-World Examples
“But road-trip RPG Ithaca arrives via refreshingly original developer the Pixel Hunt, a French outfit that specialises in what it calls “reality-inspired” games.” “This production by Flabbergast Theatre , which specialises in physical comedy, shows you what a good fit clowning is for Samuel Beckett’s work.” “However, the government is pushing universities to specialise and offer fewer courses.” Etymology
From special + -ize.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/specialize
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0