specify
Americanverb (used with object)
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to mention or name specifically or definitely; state in detail.
He did not specify the amount needed.
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to give a specific character to.
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to set forth as a specification.
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to name or state as a condition.
He specified that he be given my power of attorney.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to refer to or state specifically
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to state as a condition
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to state or include in the specification of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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specifiernoun
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respecifyverb
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misspecifiedadjective
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nonspecifiedadjective
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specificativeadjective
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underspecifiedadjective
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unspecifiedadjective
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unspecifyingadjective
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specificativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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specifysimple
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specifiessimple
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have specifiedperfect
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has specifiedperfect
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am specifyingprogressive
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are specifyingprogressive
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is specifyingprogressive
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have been specifyingperfect progressive
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has been specifyingperfect progressive
Past
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specifiedsimple
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had specifiedperfect
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was specifyingprogressive
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were specifyingprogressive
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had been specifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of specify
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English specyfyen, from Old French specifier, from Medieval Latin specificāre “to describe, mention particularly,” from specific(us) specific + āre, infinitive verb suffix
Explanation
To explicitly name something or state a particular detail, you specify that thing. So, when you have a craving for dessert and you send someone to the store to buy ice cream, you may want to specify a flavor. If you assign something for a particular purpose, this verb means that you specify. Your parents can specify for safety's sake that you can only ride your bicycle on the sidewalk and not on the street. Another use of the verb specify is to give a set of requirements. If you have your grandmother's old recipe for snickerdoodle cookies, you may wonder what the recipe means when it specifies that you should add "a smidgen of molasses."
Vocabulary lists containing specify
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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STAAR English I: The Language of the Test 2
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STAAR English II: The Language of the Test 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Another firm in Chengdu declined to specify which authority the instruction came from, and promptly ended the call.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the crash, declined to specify.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
In response to detailed questions, a spokesperson for America First Refining said, “The claims in this story are false,” but declined to specify what they were referring to.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
One unit — it would be a spoiler to specify which — evaporates toward the climax and, oddly, isn’t missed.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
Statesmen are not called upon only to settle easy questions.28 I find it hard to specify when not to split an infinitive.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
