in specific instances

USAGE SUMMARY

"in specific instances" is correct and commonly used in written English.
You can use it when talking about a specific situation or occurrence, to indicate that your statement or argument applies only in that specific case and not in general. Example: In specific instances, such as when dealing with sensitive information, it is important to have strict security measures in place.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

Hate speech may still need to be banned in specific instances, I would argue.

The Guardian - Opinion

News media outlets frequently withhold names in specific instances, including victims of sexual violence and juvenile criminal offenders.

The New York Times

Discrimination is about general cases and general trends – and is in fact very difficult to diagnose in specific instances.

The Guardian - Opinion

So staffers adopted Trump's broad ideal of American competitiveness and tried to extrapolate which policies he might favor in specific instances.

The New Yorker

Jon Daniels, the Rangers' general manager, said, "In the past we've gone over in specific instances, but it was more the exception than the rule".

The New York Times

In specific instances, it's possible to probe and identify just how close the molecules must be — but the instances are extraordinarily diverse.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

It would appear then that in specific instance of PCOS, those women who access the OSG may have access to more helpful information which may not always be forthcoming from health professionals.

BMC Women's Health

For the time being, clean energy is competitive in only a few countries in certain specific instances: solar power for retail electricity consumers in Japan, say, or ethanol made from sugarcane in Brazil.

The Economist

"We are criminalizing the purchase of sexual services and in very specific instances the sale… in areas where young people under the age of 18 could be present," Justice Minister MacKay reportedly said mduring a news conference Wednesday, after the bill was tabled in the House of Commons.

Vice

Despite the lack of a genome-wide increase in burden of potential fusion-gene generating CNVs in ASD, specific instances could still be of potential significance.

European Journal of Human Genetics

And, in the specific instances where MacKenzie Bezos and other reviewers have first-hand knowledge, I don't blame them a bit for wanting the details — no matter how small — to be correct.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "in specific instances", ensure the context clearly defines the instances you are referring to. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures the reader understands the limited scope of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "in specific instances" as a blanket disclaimer to excuse broad generalizations. Ensure that the specific instances are genuinely exceptional and not representative of the norm.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in specific instances" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the limited scope or applicability of a statement. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it specifies that something is true only under certain conditions, not universally.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "in specific instances" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to qualify statements and limit their scope to particular situations. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in written English. It is prevalent in scientific and news-related content and ensures precision by preventing overgeneralizations. When using "in specific instances", ensure the context clearly defines those instances to maintain clarity. Remember that alternatives like "in particular cases" or "in certain situations" can provide similar meaning while varying your writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in particular cases

Replaces "instances" with "cases", focusing on individual occurrences.

in certain situations

Substitutes "specific instances" with "certain situations", emphasizing the conditional aspect.

under certain circumstances

Similar to "in certain situations" but highlights the surrounding conditions.

in select circumstances

Uses "select" to convey a more exclusive or limited set of conditions.

on occasion

A more concise alternative, indicating infrequent or particular times.

in exceptional cases

Highlights that the instance is an exception to the norm.

in isolated incidents

Focuses on the isolated nature of the occurrences.

for particular events

Shifts the focus to specific happenings or events.

in singular instances

Emphasizes the uniqueness of the instances.

in defined situations

Highlights that the situations are well-defined or predetermined.

FAQs

How can I use "in specific instances" in a sentence?

Use "in specific instances" to indicate that a statement applies only to particular situations, not generally. For example, "Hate speech may still need to be banned in specific instances, I would argue."

What are some alternatives to "in specific instances"?

You can use alternatives such as "in particular cases", "in certain situations", or "under certain circumstances" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it better to use "in specific instances" or "in general"?

The choice depends on the context. Use "in specific instances" when you want to highlight exceptions or particular situations, while "in general" applies to broad or typical cases.

What's the difference between "in specific instances" and "in general"?

"In specific instances" indicates that something is true only in some cases, while "in general" suggests it's true most of the time.