unique

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Being the only one of its kind, or unlike anything else in a way that matters.

   Grammar: In careful writing, avoid very or most when it means the only one; use distinctive or unusual for degrees.

   Patterns

   • be unique to something
   • a unique opportunity or feature
   • be unique in something

   This dialect is unique to the island.

   The museum owns a unique manuscript from the tenth century.

   Her experience is unique in the history of the program.

2. 2adjectivecomparableinformal

   Unusual, special, or clearly different, without being literally the only example.

   Grammar: Common in informal speech and often graded: a very unique style.

   Patterns

   • a very unique style
   • really unique
   • quite unique

   The cafe has a really unique atmosphere.

   He collects unique sneakers from small designers.

   The guide showed us several very unique buildings.

Common combinations

unique to

The ceremony is unique to this region.

unique opportunity

The internship was a unique opportunity to work abroad.

unique feature

A unique feature of the house is its indoor garden.

unique perspective

Raised in three countries, she brings a unique perspective to the project.

Synonyms and how they differ

distinctive

Means clearly recognizable and different; unlike unique, it naturally allows degrees.

singular

Formal; can mean exceptional or strange, and is less exact about being the only one.

unparalleled

Stronger, meaning having no equal; unique can simply mean one of a kind.

sole

Means only and often comes before a noun; it stresses exclusivity more than special quality.

Opposites

Word family

uniquely adverb

In a way that is not shared by others.

uniqueness noun

The quality of being the only one or unlike others.

Commonly confused: unique or antique? unique or unusual?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “unique”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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