exemplary

adjective ex·em·pla·ry \ ig-ˈzem-plə-rē \

|Updated on: 5 Jul 2018

Examples: exemplary in a Sentence

Editor's Note: An exemplary etymology

Definition of exemplary

1 a : deserving imitation : commendable

his courage was exemplary

; also : deserving imitation because of excellence

they serve exemplary pastries
—G. V. Higgins

b : serving as a pattern

2 : serving as an example, instance, or illustration

this story is exemplary of her style

3 : serving as a warning : monitory

given an exemplary punishment

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exemplarily

play \ˌeg-ˌzem-ˈpler-ə-lē\ adverb

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exemplariness

play \ig-ˈzem-plə-rē-nəs\ noun

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exemplarity

play \ˌeg-ˌzem-ˈpler-ə-tē\ noun

See exemplary defined for English-language learners

See exemplary defined for kids

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Examples of exemplary in a Sentence

Each cantina has its own style, but almost all of them share several key traits: uniformed waiters offering exemplary service, a trio of musicians strolling from table to table playing songs on request, lots of men playing dominoes, plenty of good tequila and cold beer, and tasty home-cooked botanas (snacks) served free with each round of drinks. —Chris Humphrey, National Geographic Traveler, September 2008
A few Hollywood couples stayed hitched—Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, 50 years and counting—but such exemplary marriages had less entertainment value than the connubial career of, say, Elizabeth Taylor, eight times wed and divorced, including two volatile turns with Richard Burton. —Richard Corliss, Time, 28 Jan. 2008
Among the most important factors that distinguished the best Civil War regiments from the mediocre ones were the quality and exemplary courage of their officers. —James M. McPherson, New York Review of Books, 6 Oct. 2005
as a hospital volunteer you have given exemplary service to your community
armies have traditionally used public execution as an exemplary punishment for the crime of desertion

Recent Examples of exemplary from the Web

America hasn’t exactly been exemplary in its treatment of POC in the past.

— sarah wu, Teen Vogue, "Trump's "Zero Tolerance" Policy Goes Against the Beauty Industry's Promise of Inclusivity," 21 June 2018
Wherever listeners stand on Beyoncé and Jay-Z's glorification of their riches (inspired by a Black power couple come up, or jaded at the thought of two billionaires of any hue), many people laud the artists as exemplary business people.

— refinery29.com, "You Are Not Beyoncé. You Do Not Want To Get Paid Only In Equity.," 18 June 2018
Never mind that his contributions to the field were exemplary.

— thomas harlander, Los Angeles Magazine, "A Forgotten Pasadena Rocket Scientist and Occultist Inspired a New TV Show," 13 June 2018
All proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund, helping area youth follow in the exemplary footsteps of Mary H. Hausmann, by pursuing a degree in the medical field.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Windsor Locks Edition," 12 June 2018
The other school to receive exemplary recognition for academic excellence is St. John XXlll Catholic School in Port Washington.

— jane ford-stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "West Allis academy one of two schools to earn academic excellence awards in archdiocese," 4 June 2018
He was raised and educated as a proud, Catholic French-Canadian, an exemplary representative of one side of the two identities that had come together to found Canada just a few decades before.

— katie reilly, Time, "'Fight Our Tribal Mindset.' Read Justin Trudeau's Commencement Address to NYU Graduates," 16 May 2018
While Lawrence describes her performance reviews as exemplary, ESPN might offer documentation and testimony to the contrary.

— michael mccann, SI.com, "Breaking Down Adrienne Lawrence's Lawsuit Against ESPN and the Company's Possible Defenses," 5 Mar. 2018
The economic policy pursued by Beijing has been exemplary.

— felipe ossa, Daily Intelligencer, "Yanis Varoufakis Has Some Ideas About How to Save The Future," 25 May 2018

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

An exemplary etymology

Since the 1500s, exemplary has been used in English for things deserving imitation. The word (and its close relatives example and exemplify) derives from the Latin noun exemplum, which means "example." Usage commentators have sometimes warned against using exemplary as if it were simply a synonym of excellent, but clear-cut instances of such usage are hard to come by. When exemplary describes something excellent, as it often does, it almost always carries the further suggestion that the thing described is worthy of imitation.