1
as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like a literary character who is regarded as the prototype of the fanatical and intolerant pursuer of justice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed the Greek epic that is the prototype of the hero myth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in original
something from which copies are made the manufacturer exhaustively tested the prototype of the vehicle before approving production

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 prototype Bertha, the wife of automobile inventor Karl Benz, made the first long-distance drive in history, back when the vehicle was still a prototype, and the roads were barely there, and such a voyage was a revolution. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 June 2025 However, none of these use precast concrete modules – the rings in my prototypes – and therefore require substantially longer on-site time and labor. Pablo Moyano Fernández, The Conversation, 23 June 2025 But in 2023, they were introduced to a prototype study led by Conceivable Life Sciences through Hope IVF—a private clinic in Mexico City. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025 Honda's hopper is the first prototype rocket outside of the United States and China to complete a flight of this kind, demonstrating vertical takeoff and vertical landing technology that could underpin the development of a reusable launch vehicle. ArsTechnica, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for prototype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prototype
Noun
  • Hamby, for example, accuses former Aces GM Natalie Williams of implying during a radio interview that the team learned of Hamby’s pregnancy in June 2022.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 June 2025
  • For example, a class-action lawsuit launched in 2023 alleges that products with the Target Clean seal actually contained parabens, talc, and PFAS (forever chemicals linked to cancer and immune risks)—ingredients the Target Clean stamp claimed to exclude.
    Kristen Philipkoski, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • This is, in part, explained by the institutional memory of the competition’s forerunner — the Intercontinental Cup — and the legendary battles of a bygone era.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • Another forerunner of today’s scene is Ansedonia, a hillside community of upscale homes near Capalbio that in the 1960s became popular with creative types from the Italian capital.
    Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • A number of features have made their way over from the original into the 2.0.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 June 2025
  • Sitting at the cafeteria tables with the chairs from the original.
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • The researchers analyzed plasma samples from a large Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study to assess risk factors for heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, according to a press release.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
  • However, the findings were based on a small sample of just 13 participants over 11 days, indicating the need for more extensive research.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 June 2025
Noun
  • Cravats were a precursor to the modern necktie, which emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century.
    Kristopher Fraser, Robb Report, 20 June 2025
  • Real Madrid were among the favorites to win the first-of-its-kind tournament, which is a precursor to next year’s FIFA World Cup.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Photos included in the filing showed test specimens piled up in the lab in overflowing garbage bags and boxes.
    Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
  • But the specimens’ small size offered little idea of what this shadowy population of ancient hominins looked like, and the group has never been assigned an official scientific name.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • As Charles Handy explained in The Age of Paradox, modern life forces us to navigate complexities our ancestors never faced, such as the tension between efficiency and humanity or between individual freedom and collective responsibility.
    Shane Enete, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Throughout the middle passage, it has been said that our ancestors wove familiar items such as beads, shells, or even seeds and grains from home into their braids, to keep with them along their journeys.
    Essence, Essence, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • In each of these instances, democracy didn’t die and the Republic prevailed.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2025
  • Due to the location of the kick, there was no near post and no far post in this instance.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 22 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Prototype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prototype. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on prototype

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!