exemplary
adjective
ex·em·pla·ry
ig-ˈzem-plə-rē 
1
a
: deserving imitation : commendable
his courage was exemplary
also
: deserving imitation because of excellence
they serve exemplary pastries —
G. V. Higgins
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
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
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 on the Web
Shawn Colvin and Rodney Crowell Two exemplary singer/songwriters known for deeply emotional lyrics join up on June 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025
Flynn, who is married, also asked for the detective’s underwear, according to the suit, promising her a Commander’s Day — a day off that a supervisor can grant to an underling for exemplary police work, such as a good arrest.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025
Her trajectory has also, it’s long seemed to me, been exemplary of a certain strain of Millennial idealism.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
The game’s first power play went Minnesota’s way, and the Frost kept Ottawa hemmed in for much of the two minutes, but managed only one shot on Phillips, as the Charge did exemplary work clogging the net-front and blocking shots.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for exemplary
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Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2025
Flynn, who is married, also asked for the detective’s underwear, according to the suit, promising her a Commander’s Day — a day off that a supervisor can grant to an underling for exemplary police work, such as a good arrest.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 5 June 2025
Her trajectory has also, it’s long seemed to me, been exemplary of a certain strain of Millennial idealism.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
The game’s first power play went Minnesota’s way, and the Frost kept Ottawa hemmed in for much of the two minutes, but managed only one shot on Phillips, as the Charge did exemplary work clogging the net-front and blocking shots.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for exemplary
Cite this Entry
“Exemplary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exemplary. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exemplary
adjective
ex·em·pla·ry
ig-ˈzem-plə-rē
: deserving to be imitated : commendable
exemplary behavior
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