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 Early prototypes of the glasses connect via a cable to a standalone battery pack and an iPhone, but newer versions have the components embedded in the frame. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026 Backed by grants from the Space Studies Institute, later prototypes improved on the concept, showing that a mass driver only 520 feet (160 meters) long could boost material off the lunar surface. Leonard David, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026 But Brooks, the six-year veteran and 2025 first-team All Pro, and Brewer, the six-year veteran and 2025 second-team All Pro, are prototypes for what the Dolphins need. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026 And researchers are pushing further, with experimental prototypes that deliver drugs or analyze the microbiome. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026 In November, two prototypes were caught being loaded onto a transporter in Germany. Byron Hurd, The Drive, 18 Feb. 2026 This cuts out months of waiting for prototypes to arrive from Asia, helping to keep new designs on the cutting edge of innovation while still rigorously field-tested. Jakob Schiller, Outside, 16 Feb. 2026 The Alpha robots are still research prototypes and are not yet ready for mass production or long-term use. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026 That’s where the business makes its prototypes, along with international shipments, and Miller said the move to the Front Range will help grease the wheels of efficiency on new product launches. Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prototypes
Noun
  • Here are some examples of how less information is coming out of federal public health agencies than in past administrations.
    Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
  • These examples demonstrate that engaging and building community, whether within Blue Zones or beyond, are possible and fundamental to building healthier, more resilient populations.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • With little support for the WHO among Republicans — who control both the House and the Senate — there has been no push from Congress to hold the country to the provision set out by their forerunners.
    Helen Branswell, STAT, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Like these forerunners, the pleasures of Knight’s A Thousand Blows, which premiered all six episodes of its second season on Hulu Friday, lies in looking back on that thin sliver of time, about 15 years ago, when anachronistic old-timey crime was in vogue.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The exhibit features 200 artworks, some certified originals lent by private collectors and the rest are replicas.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Netflix drove the largest gains, powered by its partnership renewal with telecom major KDDI in November 2025 and strong performance from Japanese originals.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • After trying all 22 samples at the tasting, here are five goal-scoring food items and a few honorable mentions with an assist.
    Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Cordell from Yuba Water Agency said initial field checks near the incident showed high turbidity, or cloudy water, and that other water quality samples have been sent to a lab for analysis.
    Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The Dow is older than the S&P 500, which was established in 1957 (though precursors had existed since 1928) and the Nasdaq Composite, which was established in 1971.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Thiel’s claim climate policy and global cooperation are precursors to a one‑world dictatorship ignores how such policies actually work.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The shift in power from the media to the sources to the subjects.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The restaurant approaching its 30th anniversary sources a hefty amount of produce and other products from local farms — a theme that continues for Cochran at Bruce Moffett’s Stagioni.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And for some of that time, specimens of the fish sat in museum collections around the world, misidentified and overlooked.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
  • But an analysis of fecal data from 18 wild gibbons and four museum specimens indicates the opposite, according to the paper.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The further in the past your dog has purebred ancestors, the smaller the identical segments matching our reference dataset are.
    Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Being alone would’ve made our ancestors more vulnerable to, say, bears or lions.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prototypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prototypes. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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