Synonyms of example

example

noun

ig-ˈzam-pəl 

as in instance

one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like

a war bonnet that is a fine example of Native American handicraft

Synonyms & Similar Words

• instance
• sample
• illustration
• specimen
• case
• indication
• representative
• prototype
• exemplification
• case in point
• exemplar
• paradigm
• evidence
• manifestation
• classic
• sign
• cross section
• archetype
• microcosm
• locus classicus

Synonym Chooser

How is the word example distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of example are case, illustration, instance, sample, and specimen. While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

When could case be used to replace example?

While in some cases nearly identical to example, 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

When would illustration be a good substitute for example?

The meanings of illustration and example largely overlap; however, illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

Where would instance be a reasonable alternative to example?

In some situations, the words instance and example are roughly equivalent. However, instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

When is sample a more appropriate choice than example?

Although the words sample and example have much in common, 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

When might specimen be a better fit than example?

The words specimen and example can be used in similar contexts, but specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of example

Late last month for example, Bieber styled the understated shoe with jeans and a white T-shirt for a casual yet polished outfit, similar to Zendaya’s look consisting of white airy pants and a black long-sleeve top. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026

Follow the example of Sylvia Meagher, a divorcée who spent much of 1965 making an index for the twenty-six supplementary volumes of the Warren Report from her West Village apartment, taking a fine-tooth comb to eighteen thousand pages of hearings and exhibits about the JFK assassination. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026

The entire strategy of Charbone is onsite transformation of the hydrogen, which can then be used for electricity for data centers, high-purity hydrogen for specialized uses, or it can be [turned] into methanol, for example, for the shipping industry, into SAF for the aviation industry, and so on. —Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Yosemite National Park in California, for example, is already seeing an uptick in visitors this year. —Zach Wichter, USA Today, 26 May 2026