special needs
plural noun
: any of various difficulties (such as a physical, emotional, behavioral, or learning disability or impairment) that causes an individual to require additional or specialized services or accommodations (such as in education or recreation)
students with special needs
special-needs
adjective
or special needs
special-needs children
a special needs teacher
Examples of special needs in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In that case, funds that previously were targeted for high-poverty areas or students with special needs could be used by the state for any purpose their leaders choose.
—
Peter Greene, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Student performances in drama and music — plus an annual crowd-pleasing event for children with special needs — are among the highlights of the spring 2025 season at North Central College in Naperville.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
Noor, who’s from Texas, is sweetly falling in love while taking care of her special needs brother.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
The core of the film will focus on the couple’s One to One Concerts, a two-show charity event for children with special needs that took place at Madison Square Garden in August 1972, the only full-length performances by Lennon following the Beatles’ split two years earlier.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for special needs 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Peter Greene, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Student performances in drama and music — plus an annual crowd-pleasing event for children with special needs — are among the highlights of the spring 2025 season at North Central College in Naperville.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
Noor, who’s from Texas, is sweetly falling in love while taking care of her special needs brother.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
The core of the film will focus on the couple’s One to One Concerts, a two-show charity event for children with special needs that took place at Madison Square Garden in August 1972, the only full-length performances by Lennon following the Beatles’ split two years earlier.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for special needs
Dictionary Entries Near special needs
Cite this Entry
“Special needs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20needs. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
special needs
noun plural
: the individual requirements (as for education) of a person with a disadvantaged background or a mental, emotional, or physical disability or a high risk of developing one
Some urban homeschooled kids, particularly those with special needs, were previously enrolled in school but not served well there.—Linda Perlstein, Newsweek
Linda Perlstein, Newsweek
special-needs
adjective
special-needs students
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share