# specialize

/ˈspɛʃəˌɫaɪz/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/specialize
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

to focus most of your time and effort on one specific subject, skill, or area of work.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He specializes international law" but "He specializes in international law" — Specialize is an intransitive verb and requires the preposition 'in' to connect to its object.

## Usage notes

- The verb is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'in' before the subject of focus.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.