Synonyms of exemplar

exemplar

noun

ig-ˈzem-ˌplär 

1

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

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

2

as in model

someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation

few of history's heroes were quite the exemplars that generations of schoolteachers made them out to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

• model
• example
• idea
• ideal
• incarnation
• paragon
• manifestation
• patron saint
• classic
• pinnacle
• nonpareil
• nonesuch
• mirror
• eidolon
• personification
• beau ideal
• paradigm
• principle
• phantom
• essence
• archetype
• embodiment
• touchstone
• pink
• role model
• guideline
• epitome
• apotheosis
• standard
• zenith
• apex
• pattern
• rule
• quintessence
• culmination
• summit
• acme
• gauge
• peak

3

as in classic

the most perfect type or example

the paintings of the French painter Claude Monet are often regarded as exemplars of Impressionism

Synonyms & Similar Words

• model
• classic
• ideal
• manifestation
• incarnation
• perfection
• apotheosis
• quintessence
• acme
• epitome
• byword
• prototype
• beau ideal
• zenith
• paradigm
• archetype
• avatar
• paragon
• benchmark
• standard
• height
• personification
• incorporation
• embodiment
• touchstone
• criterion
• ultimate
• abstract
• nonpareil
• meridian
• last word
• yardstick
• embodier

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

Recent Examples of exemplar

The trio of titles making the rounds at Cannes are exemplars of the type of material Anonymous Content intends to pursue that this moment of great upheaval across film and TV. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 8 May 2026

Snapchat would, in fact, be superseded as the political-comms fad du jour, but Democratic hand-wringing about the Party’s visibility in a fragmented attention economy has never gone out of style, and Swalwell has often been seen as an exemplar of how to be everywhere, all at once. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026

Workday is down 42%, an exemplar of the carnage in software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies serving the enterprise. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026

The exemplar of how controversy can turn sports agnostics into a captive audience is the ladies’ singles figure skating finals at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Feb. 2026