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
Accommodations for voters with special needs The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that people with disabilities have equal access to voting.
—
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2024
Two teams were recently dispatched to aid a mother of four children with special needs in crisis.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for special needs 
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2024
Two teams were recently dispatched to aid a mother of four children with special needs in crisis.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for special needs
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'special needs.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Special needs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20needs. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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
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