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as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like the village's Congregational church could serve as an exemplar of the white clapboard church with a steeple that is a fixture in old New England towns

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun exemplar differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of exemplar are example, ideal, model, and pattern. While all these words mean "someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation," exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification.

cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage

Where would example be a reasonable alternative to exemplar?

While the synonyms example and exemplar are close in meaning, example applies to a person to be imitated or in some contexts on no account to be imitated but to be regarded as a warning.

children tend to follow the example of their parents

When is ideal a more appropriate choice than exemplar?

Although the words ideal and exemplar have much in common, ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception.

never found a job that matched his ideal

When would model be a good substitute for exemplar?

The synonyms model and exemplar are sometimes interchangeable, but model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation.

a decor that is a model of good taste

When is it sensible to use pattern instead of exemplar?

The words pattern and exemplar can be used in similar contexts, but pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype.

American industry set a pattern for others to follow

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exemplar This would be the perfect exemplar of the key traits that attracted Maresca to the 23-year-old. Mark Carey, New York Times, 30 June 2025 With its brick-and-coral façade and wraparound veranda, the Lacson hacienda is an exemplar of bahay na bato—an architectural style that blends Filipino motifs with Spanish and Chinese influences. Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2025 The perfect heroes of previous generations, exemplars of patriotism and rising above tragedy, and their traditional superpowers—strength, flight, speed, their belief in the goodness of people—are rapidly being replaced. Aviva Dove-Viebahn, Scientific American, 9 June 2025 Moral exemplars are the people who represent virtue ethics in its purest form. George Tsakiridis, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exemplar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exemplar
Noun
  • The reversal marks just one example of how Trump is rewriting Republicans’ decades-old playbook on countering Beijing’s influence in the United States and abroad.
    Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • American craft beer, for example, has grown over the last 30 years to take nearly 15% of US beer sales by volume.
    Nish Acharya, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Built to last, the 2020 model features a new roof design that boasts up to 90 pounds per square foot of snow load.
    Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The iPhone 17 lineup is headlined by the addition of the iPhone 17 Air, which takes the place of the iPhone Plus model that served as the company's second tier phone.
    James Powel, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Polestar 1 is a future classic, the Polestar 2 is pretty good as well, the Polestar 3 is mostly forgettable, and so is the Polestar 4.
    Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Romantic films in the modern era often lack the depth that cult classics released in the 1980s and 1990s had.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As a public institution, UVU upholds First Amendment rights and fosters an environment where ideas – popular or controversial – can be exchanged freely, energetically, and civilly.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Some ideas came from experience.
    Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Trump’s philosophies continue to be debated among Republican lawmakers and voters as to whether his more populist ideals will stick with the GOP once his long run as party leader eventually comes to a close.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Finding themes where characters can continuously engage and undermine one another in this way, as a kind of contrasting ideal, is the most gratifying thing to me as a creator.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Harem or balloon pants seen in recent collections are a sophisticated evolution from their original bohemian incarnations, featuring cleaner lines, refined fabrics and streamlined silhouettes.
    Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 13 Sep. 2025
  • At the same time, no one in metal was funnier, more in touch with his own bathos, more post–Spinal Tap, in a sense, than Ozzy, especially in his shambling-paterfamilias incarnation on MTV’s reality show The Osbournes.
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Allied together, the two vessels fight the physical manifestation of the Radiance.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • On the automotive front, that character arc can be represented by the transition from the baronial elegance of the Bentley S2 Continental to the manifestation of rebellion found in the muscle cars from Motor City.
    Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Victor’s own father is obsessed with legacy and perfection and mistreats his boy, and that cycle continues with Victor and the Creature.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • That could mean the index is vulnerable to a pullback if the tech sector starts to falter — especially at a moment when many investors fear the megacaps are priced for perfection.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exemplar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exemplar. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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