as in only
being the one or ones of a class with no other members
among history's greats Leonardo da Vinci is often considered sui generis—a man of such stupendous genius that the world may never see his like again
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Recent Examples of sui generis
This uncomfortable family scenario could have played out any number of ways, from broad comedy to volatile drama, but Hong puts his own sui generis stamp on it.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The alchemical match between director and DP remains one of the defining collaborations of Lynch’s career, with Elmes crystallizing Lynch’s nightmarish and entirely sui generis vision of the American underbelly in all those films.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Jan. 2025
There is a good case to be made, therefore, that each of these country-level crises is sui generis.
—Shantayanan Devarajan, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2022
But the project’s early promise has been soured by China’s failure to reach a consensus with the region’s major power and to answer serious questions about whether its handling of Sri Lanka is sui generis or symptomatic of its general approach.
—Andrew Small, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2018
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The alchemical match between director and DP remains one of the defining collaborations of Lynch’s career, with Elmes crystallizing Lynch’s nightmarish and entirely sui generis vision of the American underbelly in all those films.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Jan. 2025
There is a good case to be made, therefore, that each of these country-level crises is sui generis.
—Shantayanan Devarajan, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2022
But the project’s early promise has been soured by China’s failure to reach a consensus with the region’s major power and to answer serious questions about whether its handling of Sri Lanka is sui generis or symptomatic of its general approach.
—Andrew Small, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2018
See All Example Sentences for sui generis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sui generis
Adjective
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Jordan Burks had the only double-double of the night for either team, with 16 points and 13 rebounds.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
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Toni wasn't the only sister to pay tribute with a video.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Drinkwater didn't make one appearance in a Chelsea shirt last season, whilst Bakayoko spent the season in Italy on loan at AC Milan.—
SI.com,
SI.com,
3 Aug. 2019
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Decisions made by engineers today, in other words, will determine not how one car drives but how all cars drive.—
Johannes Himmelreich,
BostonGlobe.com,
30 Mar. 2018
Adjective
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In his lone year with Mizzou, Pyne appeared in five games, most notably relieving three-year starter Brady Cook in contests versus Auburn, Alabama and Oklahoma as Cook dealt with hand and ankle injuries.—
Amelia Hurley,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2025
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Rickard Rakell scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal on the power play, but Mikheyev reached the 20-goal plateau for just the second time in his six-year career on the empty netter.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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What makes her special is that while in the NCAA, Nugent frequently competed in the 100-meter hurdles and 100-meter dash, earning several All-American honors in both events.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account - free of charge.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These lanterns are bright, and their unique design makes the solar hanging light the perfect outdoor decoration.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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The underlying signal itself can also be unique for people or groups of people.—
Eloy Geenjaar,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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