make an example of
idiom
: to punish (a person who has done something wrong) as a way of warning other people not to do the same thing
Although it was only his first offense, the judge decided to make an example of him and sentence him to prison.
Examples of make an example of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
An ambitious prosecutor is keen to make an example of Covington, leading to a fiery battle worthy of an Ace Attorney game.
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Jef Rouner, Chron, 14 Sep. 2024
Jettisoning just a couple of thousand, to make an example of them, may be enough.
—Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 1 Aug. 2024
Tesla watchers reason that, on the warpath, Musk decided to make an example of her and everyone who worked for her.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 18 May 2024
That Vietnam sought to make an example of Lan was clear.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make an example of 
Jef Rouner, Chron, 14 Sep. 2024
Jettisoning just a couple of thousand, to make an example of them, may be enough.
—Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 1 Aug. 2024
Tesla watchers reason that, on the warpath, Musk decided to make an example of her and everyone who worked for her.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 18 May 2024
That Vietnam sought to make an example of Lan was clear.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make an example of
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make an example of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Make an example of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20an%20example%20of. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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