very specified

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very specified" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct term would be "very specific," which is used to indicate a high level of detail or precision. Example: "The instructions were very specific about how to assemble the furniture."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In the past week there's been a spike in attention, especially due to the anniversary coinciding with the final, inexorable march to 4,000 — but for one very specified branch of the media these are the headlines that matter every day and with every number: The military media.

Huffington Post

Very specified and written instructions regarding information of patients are necessary and in routine use, both to cover for the differences in education and for reasons of legislation.

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

If you had an agreement which very clearly specified that you needed the units by the end of March they have broken that contract.

Independent

The historian Richard Hofstadter described the Progressive movement as "a rather widespread and remarkably good-natured effort of the greater part of society to achieve some not very clearly specified self-reformation.

The New Yorker

However, not rejecting normality is usually taken as a sign of a very well specified and functional model.

EPJ Data Science

It's safest to focus on situations that are very completely specified so we'll just say that no two possible worlds that differ in their ethical properties can be exactly alike in their descriptive properties.

SEP

On the empirical side, a certain blind faith (e.g., Cahuc and Zylberberg 2016) in very narrowly specified experiments (even though their results are often ambivalent, and hard to scale up) projects the same neutralization effect.

Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics

In this case, the conditions are very clearly specified: if there is no external source of energy ("a closed system"), then there will be a net increase in disorder until the system reaches equilibrium.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

The sample was not very well specified, with few details of language and cognitive test results.

Developmental Science

There are good reasons to maintain an option for referees to remain anonymous, and this is also very clearly specified on the journal web pages as well as in the referenced article and in a more comprehensive review article (Pöschl, 2012 as referenced and linked below).

F1000Research

While all articles highlight the need for curriculum change, very few specify how this change could and would be achieved by course design or explicit educational paradigms.

Journal of Cleaner Production

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and precision in your writing, avoid using the phrase "very specified". Instead, opt for alternatives like "highly specific" or "clearly defined" to ensure grammatical correctness and improve readability.

Common error

Avoid using "very specified" when you mean "very specific". The latter is the correct and widely accepted way to indicate a high level of detail or precision. For example, say "The instructions were very specific", not "The instructions were very specified".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very specified" functions as an adjectival phrase attempting to modify a noun by indicating a high degree of specification. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this phrasing is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "very specified" might seem like a way to emphasize the detailed nature of something, Ludwig AI indicates that it is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. The correct alternative is "very specific". Although some examples can be found in diverse sources like news articles and scientific publications, opting for grammatically sound alternatives such as "highly detailed", "precisely defined", or "clearly stipulated" will enhance the clarity and credibility of your writing. Remember to tailor your choice to the specific context for optimal impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

highly specific

Replaces "very specified" with a more standard and widely accepted adjective, emphasizing the precise nature of something.

extremely detailed

Focuses on the level of detail provided, rather than the act of specifying itself.

precisely defined

Emphasizes the accuracy and clarity with which something is defined.

clearly stipulated

Highlights that something is explicitly stated or required, often in a formal context.

narrowly defined

Indicates a strict or limited definition, focusing on the restricted scope.

thoroughly outlined

Stresses the completeness of the description or plan.

meticulously detailed

Emphasizes the careful and precise nature of the detailing.

exactly prescribed

Indicates that something is required to be done in a precise manner.

strictly regulated

Focuses on the strict rules or guidelines that are in place.

comprehensively described

Highlights the completeness of the description.

FAQs

What's the difference between "very specified" and "very specific"?

"Very specified" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct and commonly used phrase is "very specific", which means highly detailed or precise.

How can I use "highly detailed" instead of "very specified"?

Use "highly detailed" to emphasize the abundance of information provided. For example, instead of saying "The report was very specified", say "The report was highly detailed".

Are there situations where "very specified" would be appropriate?

In standard written English, "very specified" is not considered appropriate. Alternatives such as "precisely defined" or "clearly stipulated" are preferable depending on context.

What are some alternatives to "very specified" in technical writing?

In technical contexts, consider using "exactly prescribed" or "strictly regulated" to convey precision and adherence to specific standards, instead of "very specified".