example

noun

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ex·am·ple | \ ig-ˈzam-pəl

Definition of example

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : one that serves as a pattern to be imitated or not to be imitated a good example

2 : a punishment inflicted on someone as a warning to others also : an individual so punished

3 : one that is representative of all of a group or type

4 : a parallel or closely similar case especially when serving as a precedent or model

5 : an instance (such as a problem to be solved) serving to illustrate a rule or precept or to act as an exercise in the application of a rule

for example \ fər-ig-ˈzam-pəl

, frig- \

: as an example there are many sources of air pollution; exhaust fumes, for example

example

verb

exampled; exampling\ ig-ˈzam-p(ə-)liŋ

Definition of example (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to serve as an example of

2 archaic : to be or set an example to

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Choose the Right Synonym for example

Noun

instance, case, illustration, example, sample, specimen mean something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category. instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain. an instance of history repeating itself case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with. a case of mistaken identity illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement. a telling illustration of Murphy's Law example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case. a typical example of bureaucratic waste sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities. show us a sample of your work specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available. one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

model, example, pattern, exemplar, ideal mean someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation. model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation. a decor that is a model of good taste example applies to a person to be imitated or in some contexts on no account to be imitated but to be regarded as a warning. children tend to follow the example of their parents pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype. American industry set a pattern for others to follow exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification. cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception. never found a job that matched his ideal

Examples of example in a Sentence

Noun He set a good example for the rest of us. She gave several examples to show that the program is effective. We've chosen three examples of contemporary architecture for closer study. a classic example of a Persian rug a fine example of the artist's work The dictionary includes thousands of examples.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Denmark, for example, has promised to cover 75 percent to 90 percent of salaries if businesses do not lay off their employees — an effort to avoid paying for the disruptions caused by mass unemployment. — Mike Ives, New York Times, "Your Tuesday Briefing," 24 Mar. 2020 But if a renter loses their income as a result of the coronavirus epidemic – an employee laid off as a business closes, for example – the moratorium would prevent an immediate eviction as a result of the hardship. — Robert Higgs, cleveland, "Cleveland City Council OKs steps to address coronavirus hardships, calling for eviction relief, aiding troubled businesses," 24 Mar. 2020 At the Port of Garibaldi, for example, the lot was overrun with boats and cars and not a lot of social distancing was occurring, McCraw said. — oregonlive, "What’s the penalty for breaking Oregon’s new ‘stay home’ order?," 23 Mar. 2020 Fans can watch old NCAA championships, for example. — Jack Marrion, Houston Chronicle, "Which Katy school had the best basketball team?," 23 Mar. 2020 Farming involves a lot of rules to ensure that harvesting is sanitary, for example. — Sean Higgins, Washington Examiner, "Agricultural industry claims pandemic immigration restrictions could hurt food supply," 23 Mar. 2020 For example, Leon Prevant, a character Mandel fans will remember from Station Eleven, reappears here as one of the unlucky souls who have invested with Alkaitis. — Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, "Emily St. John Mandel’s Ghost World," 23 Mar. 2020 They were often described, for example by the 12th-century Byzantine poet, John Tzetzes, as deformed or excessively ugly. — Candida Moss, The Conversation, "Ancient Greeks purged city-states of disease as they would a human body – and it was the most vulnerable that suffered," 23 Mar. 2020 In February China’s women’s football team, for example, was put through a seven-day quarantine after arriving to play a qualifier that had been moved from its original host city, Wuhan. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, "As 2 nations boycott, Japan finally admits coronavirus might disrupt Tokyo 2020 Olympics," 23 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'example.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.