sampling

noun

sam·​pling ˈsam-pliŋ How to pronounce sampling (audio)
for senses 1 & 3
-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce sampling (audio)
1
: the act, process, or technique of selecting a suitable sample
specifically : the act, process, or technique of selecting a representative part of a population for the purpose of determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population
2
: a small part selected as a sample for inspection or analysis
ask a sampling of people which candidate they favor
3
: the introduction or promotion of a product by distributing trial packages of it

Examples of sampling in a Sentence

The reporter asked a sampling of people about their eating habits. a sampling of the menu's entrées We were given a sampling of the food. The band does a lot of sampling.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There will be hands-on training to conduct water quality testing and macro-invertebrate sampling. Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025 The company discovered the issue after conducting routine sampling and testing of its ingredients from external suppliers. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025 Oysterville Sea Farms is the place to see the best oyster beds and watch the boats come in and out and Goose Point Family Farm and Oystery offers samplings and oysters for purchase. Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 The team used laser ablation mass spectrometry (LA-MS), a technique that uses direct micro-scale sampling to provide high-precision elemental and isotope analyses of solid materials, to scan Neanderthal molars and other hominid fossils. New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sampling

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sampling was in 1778

Cite this Entry

“Sampling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sampling. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

sampling

noun
sam·​pling ˈsam-pliŋ How to pronounce sampling (audio)
1
: the act, process, or technique of selecting a suitable sample
specifically : the act, process, or technique of selecting a representative part of a population for the purpose of determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population
2
: sample
obtain a sampling of urine

More from Merriam-Webster on sampling

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