sample

1 of 3

noun

sam·​ple ˈsam-pəl 

1

: a representative part or a single item from a larger whole or group especially when presented for inspection or shown as evidence of quality : specimen

2

: a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole

3

: an excerpt from a recording (such as a popular song by another performer) that is used in a musical composition, recording, or performance

… had to substantially rewrite "Sometimes I Miss You … " when he was denied permission to use a Michael Jackson sample …

—Jon Young

sample

2 of 3

verb

sampled; sampling ˈsam-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to take a sample of or from

especially : to judge the quality of by a sample : test

sampled his output for defects

sample a wine

2

: to use a segment of (recorded music, sounds, or dialogue from another source) as part of one's own musical composition or recording

A Josh Wink record takes a series of sampled noises, then twists and warps them through a barrage of sound processors …

—Frank Broughton

: to use a sample (see sample entry 1 sense 3) from (another recording or performer)

… claims Carey sampled his hit "I Want to Thank You" on her 1992 song "Make It Happen."

—Jancee Dunn

sample

3 of 3

adjective

: serving as an illustration or example

sample questions

Synonyms

Noun

• cross section
• sampler
• sampling
• selection
• slice

Verb

• test
• try (out)

Choose the Right Synonym for sample

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

Examples of sample in a Sentence

Noun

We would like to see a sample of your work.

I tasted a sample of the new cereal.

Free samples were handed out at the store.

The sample included 96 women over the age of 40.

A random sample of people filled out the survey.

We looked at a representative sample of public schools.

Verb

She sampled everything the resort had to offer, from golfing to yoga.

A low percentage of the women sampled said that they smoked during pregnancy.

Five of the 20 schools sampled did not meet the standards.

Adjective

The teacher handed out a sample essay.

Here are some sample questions for the test.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To perform any of these tests, a sample must be collected. —Tanya Feke, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2024

In February, the new DNA sample was found to be a familial match to DNA collected from Stack's family. —USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024

Police are working with Jason’s parents to submit their DNA samples to GEDmatch, which houses DNA samples from several genealogy sites like Ancestry or 23andMe, so long as someone opts in. —Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2024

Bird flu in dairy cattle in Kansas, Texas Last week the USDA announced last week HPAI had been found in unpasteurized clinical samples of milk from ill cows at two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, plus a swab from a dairy cow in Texas. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2024

Mummery joined the case in 2022 and helped obtain the new DNA sample that led to Stack’s identification, according to the sheriff’s office. —Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024

In the study published Wednesday, Miller and his colleagues analyzed 15,000 air samples collected between 2015 and 2019 by NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory scientists. —Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 2 percentage points. —Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024

Water samples have also come up negative for Red Tide toxins. —Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024

Verb

Soil sampled two days after the storm around Brickell showed patterns that indicated surge could be blamed for flooding a block or two from the bay, but further inland was caused by heavy rain unable to drain into the bay. —Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024

One-third of private well owners in Wisconsin have never had their well tested for nitrate, and even private wells that have been tested aren't usually sampled consistently over time. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024

Meanwhile, some of the older tracks that Beyoncé either sampled or interpolated on Cowboy Carter also had fans searching for source material on streaming services. —Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2024

Guests don’t even need to leave the property for their afternoon wine flights—simply wander over from your suite and sample the assortment of complex Cabernets. —Amy Louise Bailey, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024

The two molars sampled, dating between 2280 and 2140 BC, were both from the same person who lived during the Bronze Age, according to the paper published Wednesday in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024

According to Webby, the risk to the general population still remains low and studying the cattle is providing scientists with an opportunity to learn more about how the virus spreads, as domestic cows are easy to sample and track in studies. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2024

Instead of visiting a bakery to sample flavors ahead of their big day, couples can have the cake sent straight to them for virtual tastings. —Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024

The 11-year-old festival features 50 breweries offering more than 250 beers to sample plus live music and food trucks. —Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 19 Mar. 2024

Adjective

But, again, this low value only records an increasing inequality of sub-sample size. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2011

Here’s a sample Mediterranean diet meal plan for a day, which fits a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet and is around the range of those flexible Mediterranean diet macros mentioned above. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French sample, essample, from Latin exemplum — more at example

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1820, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sample

• sample space

Kids Definition

sample

1 of 2 noun

sam·​ple ˈsam-pəl 

1

: a part or thing that shows the quality of the whole or group

2

: a part (as a set of individuals chosen from a whole population) used for investigating the whole

sample

2 of 2 verb

sampled; sampling -p(ə-)liŋ 

: to judge the quality of by a sample

Medical Definition

sample

noun

sam·​ple ˈsam-pəl 

1

: a representative part or a single item from a larger whole or group especially when presented for inspection or shown as evidence of quality : specimen

a blood sample

2

: a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole