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

ˈspe-shəl-ˈnēdz 

adjective

or special needs

special-needs children

a special needs teacher

Examples of special needs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last year, Grant's father Mark began volunteering at SNR, a recreation center for people with special needs. —Steve Hartman, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025

For some children, including those with chronic illness and special needs, Medicaid may also act as supplemental insurance providing benefits that would otherwise go uncovered. —Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025

But there are some critical special needs in a health care setting, where many decisions are sensitively dependent on technical details, such as specific doses of medicines. —Simon Mainwaring, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

Medicaid provides a great deal of funding for hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes and services for children with special needs. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for special needs

• centipedes
• intercedes
• millipedes
• supersedes
• accedes
• concedes
• exceeds
• impedes
• misdeeds
• misleads
• oilseeds
• precedes

Kids Definition

special needs

plural noun

: any of various difficulties (such as 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)

special–needs adjective

Medical 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

special-needs adjective

special-needs students