DictionaryAI

particularly

adverb
pur-TIK-yuh-lur-lee/pɚˈtʰɪkjəlɚli/UKpuh-TIK-yuh-luh-lee/pəˈtʰɪkjələli/

4 meanings of particularly

Practice

  1. 1
    especiallyadverb
    Especially, or to a greater degree than usual or than in other cases.

    The lecture was particularly dense, even for a graduate seminar.

    Traffic gets particularly bad around the holidays.

    UsageOften not particularly, a polite way to say not very: not particularly happy, not particularly good.

    Note

    This sense works two ways, and it usually sits right before what it touches. Before an adjective it raises the degree, as in a particularly damaging effect. Before a phrase or clause it works as a focusing adverb, picking out the case that stands out from the rest, as in the American novelist Winston Churchill's The Celebrity (1897): an odd party, "particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner."

  2. 2
    singling outadverb
    Specifically and individually, with reference to one person or thing alone rather than to others or to a group in general.

    She particularly asked that her name be left out of the report.

    When she complained about careless drivers, she said she did not mean anyone particularly, only drivers in general.

    Similarspecifically, expressly

  3. 3
    in full detailadverb
    In detail, dealing with each of the individual facts, points, or items involved.

    A search warrant must particularly describe the place to be searched and the things to be seized.

    Because the request did not particularly describe the documents it sought, the court refused to order the company to hand them over.

    UsageMost often in legal phrases such as particularly describe: a warrant must particularly describe what is to be seized.

    Similarprecisely, minutely

    Oppositevaguely

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    adverbdated
    In a fussy or finicky manner; with exacting attention to small details of how things are done.
    He, rather too particularly perhaps, avoids public company, and is the very reverse of a bon vivant.
    1825, Oxberry's dramatic biography and histrionic anecdotes

    Similarfussily, fastidiously

    Note

    A dated use for conduct governed by exacting personal standards. Oxberry's dramatic biography and histrionic anecdotes (1825) says of its subject that he "rather too particularly perhaps, avoids public company," a fastidiousness that shades into aloofness. The fussiness survives today mainly in the adjective particular, as in a particular eater. Modern readers will usually take the adverb as the "especially" sense, so fussily or fastidiously is the safer choice.

    Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • Oxberry's dramatic biography and histrionic anecdotes began publication in 1825. en.wikisource.org
    • The work contains the quoted description of its subject avoiding public company. en.wiktionary.org

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of particularly apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

Formed from "particular" combined with the suffix "-ly".

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact