singular
gb/sˈɪŋɡjəlɚ/ us/sˈɪŋɡjəlɚ/
A2
English
~ 2300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Only one; unique
Only one in number or kind; not like anything else.
Usage pattern:
a singular [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'singular' with 'single'; 'single' means just one, but 'singular' often means unique or remarkable.
Synonyms
unique (Commonly used for something one of a kind; slightly broader than 'singular'.)
Antonyms
common (Refers to something found often, the opposite of rare or unique.)
Collocations
singular achievement
|singular honor
|singular focus
|singular beauty
Themes
descriptions
|numbers
|uniqueness
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her singular talent for storytelling captivated the audience.
- This is a singular opportunity to meet the author.
- The painting had a singular beauty that was hard to describe.
- He is remembered for his singular contributions to science.
Learner examples
- She has a singular voice.
- This is a singular chance for you.
- He made a singular discovery.
- The dress has a singular color.
adjective
technical
A2
property
2
Grammatical form for one item
In grammar, showing only one person or thing, not more than one.
Usage pattern:
the singular form of [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may forget to match singular subjects with singular verbs in English.
Synonyms
single (Less technical, refers to one item but not specifically grammatical.)
Antonyms
plural (The grammatical form referring to more than one.)
Collocations
singular noun
|singular pronoun
|singular verb
Themes
grammar
|language
|education
|communication
Examples
- In English, 'child' is the singular form of 'children'.
- The verb changes in the third-person singular form.
- Some nouns have the same singular and plural forms.
Learner examples
- 'Dog' is a singular noun.
- We use 'is' with a singular subject.
- 'Man' is the singular of 'men'.
adjective
formal
B2
property
3
Remarkably good or impressive
Very good or special; better than normal.
Usage pattern:
a singular [achievement/result/success]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with 'unique', though here it emphasizes excellence rather than simply being one of a kind.
Synonyms
remarkable (Highlights being worthy of attention; less formal than 'singular'.)
Antonyms
ordinary (Describes something normal and unremarkable.)
Collocations
singular success
|singular performance
|singular honor
Themes
praise
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He achieved a singular success in his career.
- Her singular performance earned her an award.
- This project stands out for its singular creativity.
Learner examples
- She had a singular success in school.
- It was a singular performance by the team.
- He made a singular effort to help.
Grammar
Dictionary form
singular
IPA
GB/sˈɪŋɡjəlɚ/
US/sˈɪŋɡjəlɚ/
Syllables & stress
sin - gu - lar (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sin)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: singular
Word family
Related words
singularly
adverb C1
singularity
noun
Advanced or less common
singularize
verb
Expressions
singular focus
1/sˈɪŋɡjəlɚ fˈoʊkəs/
fixed phrase
Total concentration on one goal
To give all your attention to one thing and nothing else.
Examples
- She approached her studies with a singular focus on becoming a doctor.
- His singular focus on winning sometimes alienated his teammates.
third-person singular
1/θˈɚd pˈɚsən sˈɪŋɡjəlɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
Verb form with he/she/it subject
The way we change a verb when the subject is he, she, or it in English grammar.
Examples
- In the present tense, we add -s to verbs in the third-person singular.
- 'He runs every day' uses the third-person singular form of 'run'.