# specially

/ˈspɛʃəɫi/ (US) · /spˈɛʃəlˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/specially
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. for a specific purpose

adverb · CEFR B1

for a particular purpose, person, or reason.

For teachers: for a specific purpose, person, or occasion; often used to describe something custom-made or uniquely arranged.

- This cake was made specially for your birthday party.
- The software was specially designed to meet the needs of small businesses that cannot afford expensive enterprise solutions.

Usage: often modifies a past participle like 'designed', 'made', or 'chosen'.

### 2. particularly

adverb · CEFR B2 · Informal

in a way that is more than usual or very much.

For teachers: used to mean 'particularly' or 'to a great degree'; while common in speech, this is often considered less formal than 'especially'.

- It is not specially cold today, but you should still wear a coat.
- The manager was not specially impressed by the candidate's portfolio, noting a lack of original concepts despite the technical proficiency shown.

Usage: frequently used interchangeably with 'especially' in casual spoken English.

## Examples

- I bought this cake specially for your birthday.
- The software was specially designed to help small businesses track their inventory without needing complex training.
- The legal team drafted the contract specially to address the unique intellectual property concerns raised during the initial negotiations.

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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.