prototypes

Definition of prototypesnext
plural of prototype
1
as in examples
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

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

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

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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 prototypes Established in 2019, SDA started launching prototypes for a constellation of missile-tracking and data-relay satellites in 2023. ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 That focus made sense when AI lived mostly in labs, prototypes and slide decks. Usman Shuja, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Laboratory prototypes can produce impressive efficiencies, but maintaining performance over years of real-world exposure remains one of the field’s biggest unsolved challenges. New Atlas, 26 May 2026 As the four-year-old company has progressed from prototypes to production, industry analysts are forecasting high year-over-year growth potential. Rebecca Fannin, CNBC, 19 May 2026 The prototypes spotted already have production-ready lighting and body panels underneath the light camouflage. Joel Feder, The Drive, 14 May 2026 The company spent years designing Ocean-1 and Ocean-2 prototypes, beginning in 2021, and plans to deploy its most recent Ocean-3 system in the northern Pacific Ocean this year, with commercial deployment to follow in 2027, according to the company. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 May 2026 Each of the mentors had chosen one project out of all the entries to support over several months, before the students presented the final prototypes to the public and the judges. Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 11 May 2026 The project has entered a phase where prototypes feature a near-final design and capabilities, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prototypes
Noun
  • There were other examples of Frank striking the wrong chord with his messaging and his replacement Tudor committed similar mistakes.
    Jay Harris, New York Times, 27 May 2026
  • The school official shared examples of other concerning behavior, according to the declaration.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • Even the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws created by the sixth Babylonian king in approximately 1760 bce, established forerunners of today’s interest rate and minimum wage laws.
    Chris Roush, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The streaming service includes all of the sports network’s channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACC Network Extra, as well as originals, such as The Pat McAfee Show, 30 For 30 and others.
    Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026
  • Incredibly, modern denim jeans bear a great resemblance to the originals, whose birthday is May 20, 1873.
    Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • In response to these allegations, Gran Tierra told The Athletic that the company has 600 monitoring wells across their Colombian operations, analysing over 1,300 samples in 2024.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026
  • Bone samples were evaluated for DNA analysis, leading to a victim profile that was uploaded to an ancestry database.
    Julie Sharp, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Noun
  • These foods don’t have sky-high amounts of melatonin, and some contain more precursors to melatonin than the hormone itself, Tahir says.
    Sarah Klein, Time, 28 May 2026
  • People across the country are seeking millions through federal tort claims, precursors to possible lawsuits.
    Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Noun
  • The coalition is urging the state to find new sources of funding for the work.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • Authorities currently believe the woman shot the man and children before shooting herself, The LA Times reports, citing law enforcement sources.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • For the new study, Zietlow and her coauthors examined and reclassified fossils housed in more than a dozen institutions — specimens that had been misidentified as the species Tylosaurus proriger.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
  • One source with deep roots in the paleontology market, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, told me that many fossils now appearing in smaller galleries and auction houses are specimens that struggled to find buyers through traditional natural history channels.
    Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • In her book Fresh Banana Leaves, Indigenous scientist and scholar Jessica Hernandez meditates on the meaning of the banana plant within the ecologies of her ancestors across what is now Mexico and El Salvador.
    Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026
  • Crocodilian ancestors have persisted through mass extinctions, dramatic climate shifts and ecological upheavals that have eradicated countless other lineages.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prototypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prototypes. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

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