as in sample
a number of things selected from a group to stand for the whole
a sampling of shoppers said they preferred fresh orange juice over frozen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in testing
to put (something) to a test
sampled the soup to see if it tasted good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sampling
Holly Andres, Daily News, 4 June 2026
Industry stats on petite clothing brands are not widely available, but in a sampling of 20 designer websites ranging from Sandro to Staud, only four included any petite-specific items (thank you, Calvin Klein, Theory, Lafayette 148, and Eileen Fisher).
—Yerin Kim, InStyle, 3 June 2026
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
But don’t leave town without sampling some California pizza.
—Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sampling
Noun
Here is a sampling of things to do in the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.
—Holly Andres, Daily News, 4 June 2026
Industry stats on petite clothing brands are not widely available, but in a sampling of 20 designer websites ranging from Sandro to Staud, only four included any petite-specific items (thank you, Calvin Klein, Theory, Lafayette 148, and Eileen Fisher).
—Yerin Kim, InStyle, 3 June 2026
Verb
Why The Recall Was Issued The cheese was recalled after sampling conducted during the investigation found Listeria monocytogenes in requeson cheese, a soft cheese similar to ricotta.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
But don’t leave town without sampling some California pizza.
—Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sampling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sampling
Noun
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Flavonoids May Protect Cells and Reduce Inflammation Despite the small sample size, Hillis said there is still reason to believe that orange juice can benefit heart health2 and longevity.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
11 Dec. 2025
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The typical sample size for a Gallup poll is 1,000 national adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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After testing dozens of brands, Kari Traa’s snuggly styles are my absolute favorite.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Dec. 2025
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In December 2022, Johnson enrolled in an early-stage clinical trial at the Cleveland Clinic that is testing a novel vaccine that researchers hope could stop triple-negative breast cancer recurrences and, in some women, stop the cancer from developing in the first place.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sampling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sampling. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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