Meaning & use
singular
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
In grammar, referring to one person, thing, or instance rather than to more than one.
Grammar: Usually appears before a noun or after be: a singular verb, the noun is singular.
Patterns
- singular noun
- singular verb
- singular form
Use a singular verb when the subject is one person.
The singular of mice is mouse.
In the sentence, the pronoun must stay singular.
adjectivenot comparableformalliterary
Unusual or remarkable to a degree that makes someone or something stand out.
Grammar: Often used before a noun in careful or literary style: a singular achievement.
Patterns
- singular talent
- singular achievement
- singular ability
She showed singular patience during the delay.
The rescue required singular courage.
His singular focus helped the team finish on time.
nounusually singular
The grammatical form used for one person or thing, as opposed to the plural.
Grammar: Typically follows the or in the singular: the singular of data is debated.
Patterns
- in the singular
- the singular of something
Add s to form the plural, not the singular.
Some loanwords keep a foreign plural and English singular.
Write the abbreviation in the singular here.
Common combinations
- singular noun
- Child is a singular noun; children is plural.
- singular talent
- The young composer has a singular talent for melody.
- in the singular
- The word is normally used in the singular.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exceptional
- Exceptional stresses being unusually good; singular is more formal and can sound literary.
- unique
- Unique means being the only one of its kind; singular can mean remarkable without claiming absolute oneness.
- remarkable
- Remarkable is neutral and common; singular is more elevated and less likely in casual speech.
Opposites
Word family
- plural adjective
- The grammatical opposite of singular, used for more than one.
- singularity noun
- The quality of being singular, or a distinctive unusual point or event.
- singularly adverb
- In a remarkable or unusually clear way; formal and less common.
Commonly confused: singular or single? singular or plural?
singular vs single
Single usually means one, unmarried, or individual; singular is mainly grammatical or formal for remarkable.
singular vs plural
Plural means more than one in grammar; it is the direct grammatical contrast, not a synonym.
Practice
Her ___ ability to stay calm under pressure impressed the whole committee.
Choose one answer.
Here singular means remarkable or exceptional, and it naturally modifies ability. Ordinary is the opposite meaning, while relevant and irrelevant describe connection to a topic, not a personal quality.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “singular”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.