as in classic
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated
a paradigmatic essay in which the writer presents his point of view clearly and engagingly
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Recent Examples of paradigmatic
The 1994 slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda became the paradigmatic example, prosecuted at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and recognized by the UN Security Council.
—
Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Though beloved by many straight men for the wrong reasons, the central character in American Psycho — a movie directed by a woman, written by a woman, and based on a novel written by a gay man — has always been paradigmatic of repressed same-sex desire.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Though beloved by many straight men for the wrong reasons, the central character in American Psycho — a movie directed by a woman, written by a woman, and based on a novel written by a gay man — has always been paradigmatic of repressed same-sex desire.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradigmatic
Adjective
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Mackie, who grew up enamored of screen starlets, infused his costumes with a sense of classic-Hollywood camp.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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V-neck tees worn underneath polo shirts and classic white tank tops with backless cuts.—
Ludwig Hurtado,
Them.,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Jennings and Tod do an exemplary job of bringing this classic to a new generation, while showing utmost respect for the original.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
29 Sep. 2025
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Charlap does them all with exemplary taste.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Villa do not have an archetypal right-winger following Bailey’s departure.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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Gaza also has a Biblical presence, associated with the Philistines, the archetypal enemy of the Israelites.—
Marc Champion,
Twin Cities,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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No longer just the quintessential New England favorite or the Cali tech bro in fleece, the half zip will be spotted everywhere this fall, with so many stylish brands putting their own spin on the classic.—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
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All creatives agreed that reinterpreting the IP and using it mostly as inspiration was quintessential for the TV version.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The absence of any definitive answer only invites more intrigue within an organization unafraid to make drastic changes.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Of course, there is no definitive answer to the question of which royal princess has more aura, which is itself a highly subjective concept.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His size and demeanor are perfect for wrangling crowds and looking over heads at Titans games to see if people are trying to access vehicles in the parking lot, officers say.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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Neville, who earned his degree in business administration from Regis, was a frequent recipient of perfect ratings from the American Conservative Union and Americans for Prosperity.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bader was excellent early Saturday, notching a sacrifice fly to drive in Realmuto and hustling to right-center for a diving catch in the fifth.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Both are excellent places for birding, boating, fishing, hiking, and finding a little peace and quiet.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The compensation plan, Jacobs said, takes into account the CEO pay for other multi-model transportation agencies in other states.—
Matthew Medsger,
Boston Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
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Unlike the performance of the song in This is Spinal Tap, though, the Stonehenge monument is in full-scale this time, not the model-sized version mistakenly produced for the concert in the first film.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paradigmatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradigmatic. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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