samples 1 of 2

Definition of samplesnext
plural of sample
1
as in samplings
a number of things selected from a group to stand for the whole based on a sample of the menu items, we decided that this was the best restaurant in town

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2
as in examples
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like this vase is a sample of the high-quality glassware that the glassblowers can produce

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samples

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sample
as in tests
to put (something) to a test sampled the soup to see if it tasted good

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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 samples
Noun
All hamburger samples will be served as half-portions (3 ounces), and event proceeds will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 These have all been opportunistic samples from taxidermists. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026 The program has also collected 100 soil samples to analyze and establish baselines for measuring future progress. Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026 Blood and tissue samples turned up positive for Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacterium found in warm, brackish waters. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026 Flying is the company’s second Nova-C lander named Athena featuring NASA’s PRIME-1 drill, to land a drill and mass spectrometer near the south pole of the moon in order to demonstrate the feasibility of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and measure the volatile content of subsurface samples. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 Anyone traveling to Haiti or to other countries under the government’s highest risk warning are encouraged to leave DNA samples with a doctor and dental records with a family member in case they’re needed to identify remains. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 The researchers suggest that saliva and stool samples could help indicate patterns that are linked to stomach cancer, although more research is required before testing is ready for clinical use. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Once known as a dry town, Pullman celebrated beer over the weekend with samples of Seipp Beer and a talk about how beer has long been a part of the neighborhood and Chicago. Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Then, instead of measuring everything, the protocol samples only a small fraction of the copies. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026 Bar Tab Taran Dugal samples experimental cocktails in Long Island City. Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026 The hotel samples some of the city's hottest restaurants and bars, spanning cuisine from China’s Chaoshan to Europe. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026 The Martian samples the scientists studied, which bore a strong match to rocks found near San Diego and South Africa, ranged from as small as a pebble to as large as a boulder. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026 Of the clean-up options detailed in its application, the city prefers a plan that removes the pile and basement foundation, then samples the soil and groundwater to find out whether further work is needed to mitigate toxins. Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026 Max Richter also got a nomination for his score, which samples old-fashioned instruments like the viol and hurdy-gurdy. Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026 Walker deliciously samples new genres here, too. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2025 The new servo extruder continuously samples position and resistance at a rate of 20KHz. PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for samples
Noun
  • The cases of Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria, which can live in mist and water systems, prompted the SNHD to conduct environmental samplings at the Wynn, confirming its systems were infected with the bacteria.
    Carly Sauvageau, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Some chefs offer bites similar to what is offered on their restaurant menus; others curate samplings that are exclusive to the event.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As examples go, many clubs in Italy could do worse than follow Sassuolo, particularly at a time when there is so much gloom about the state of the game in the bel paese.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • Both nations represent the best examples of Western civilization.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Analysts said the increasing public convergence between Washington and Tshisekedi’s government may further embolden the Congolese leader domestically, particularly as his coalition tests public opinion around constitutional reform and future succession debates.
    Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
  • The other collapsed and died in South Africa and tests on that person were performed posthumously.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • All four of those players, and a few other likely first-round selections, were all among those in the studio for the announcement of the lottery results Sunday at Chicago’s Navy Pier.
    Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
  • Having two first-round selections in 2026 could be a boon for the Hornets.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • An expert might spend dozens of hours manually analyzing a microscope slide and find only a fraction of the thousands of specimens present.
    Ingrid C. Romero, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
  • Despite their aging heart, the sharks seemed quite able to get around—some of the specimens in the study were collected by longline fishing in Greenland waters, suggesting the sharks could find bait and successfully capture it.
    Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 4 May 2026

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“Samples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/samples. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

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