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
There is in fact nothing sui generis about Belarus’s nonviolent protests, nor are they rooted in the pandemic.
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Maryia Sadouskaya-Komlach, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2020
Yet the stresses of Series games are sui generis, sometimes requiring extraordinary exertions.
—Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
No artist is completely original, but time has proven Lady Gaga sui generis.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
Parker was often abrasive, but Crowther considers Parker empathetically, as a sui generis who resisted becoming a cog in the filmmaking machinery.
—Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sui generis 
Maryia Sadouskaya-Komlach, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2020
Yet the stresses of Series games are sui generis, sometimes requiring extraordinary exertions.
—Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
No artist is completely original, but time has proven Lady Gaga sui generis.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
Parker was often abrasive, but Crowther considers Parker empathetically, as a sui generis who resisted becoming a cog in the filmmaking machinery.
—Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sui generis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sui generis
Adjective
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His splitter remains one of the game's elite pitches, and proof that throwing hard isn't the only path to success.Newsweek, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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The Bengal joins 1992 Sterling Sharpe as the only club members to have missed the playoffs.Jacob Robinson, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 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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Former first lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are also confirmed to attend the inauguration ceremony alongside their husbands, making Michelle the lone holdout among the former presidents’ spouses.Sam Reed, Glamour, 14 Jan. 2025
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The Brewers were the lone NL Central representative in the postseason and lost to the New York Mets in the wild-card round.LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Visit Anaheim: People affected by the wildfires can visit Visit Anaheim’s official website and find special hotel offers and assistance.Janhvi Bhojwani, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2025
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The 73-page civil complaint, filed Thursday in Santa Fe, New Mexico, names special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey, First District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, Santa Fe County sheriff’s deputies and the Santa Fe County commission.Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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With a lineup of unique and groundbreaking artists, the label is all about supporting genuine artistry and pushing the boundaries of various genres.SPIN Contributor, SPIN, 7 Jan. 2025
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However, this unique screen capability comes at a considerable cost.Barry Collins, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sui generis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sui%20generis. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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