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as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like the village's Congregational church could serve as an exemplar of the white clapboard church with a steeple that is a fixture in old New England towns

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun exemplar differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of exemplar are example, ideal, model, and pattern. While all these words mean "someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation," exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification.

cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage

Where would example be a reasonable alternative to exemplar?

While the synonyms example and exemplar are close in meaning, example applies to a person to be imitated or in some contexts on no account to be imitated but to be regarded as a warning.

children tend to follow the example of their parents

When is ideal a more appropriate choice than exemplar?

Although the words ideal and exemplar have much in common, ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception.

never found a job that matched his ideal

When would model be a good substitute for exemplar?

The synonyms model and exemplar are sometimes interchangeable, but model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation.

a decor that is a model of good taste

When is it sensible to use pattern instead of exemplar?

The words pattern and exemplar can be used in similar contexts, but pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype.

American industry set a pattern for others to follow

Examples 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 exemplar Asked to name an exemplar of this behavior, Diller cited John Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager, who recently offered his view of the race. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2024 The president should also lift up cross-agency collaboration exemplars like the AI Institutes in speeches, interviews, and communications campaigns. Ulrich Boser, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 Both vessels were at the cutting edge of technology, both exemplars of safety in the eyes of their overconfident creators. Mark Harris, WIRED, 11 June 2024 Like Obama, Bunche aspired to be an exemplar of Black excellence in the United States, but the contradictions that that desire produced could never be synthesized with his dream of an equitable and just world order. Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for exemplar 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exemplar
Noun
  • For example, clicking malicious links can redirect you to harmful websites that either steal personal information or infect your device with malware.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
  • To photograph the intimate, in the private sphere, but also the presence of these couples in the public space (during lesbian demonstrations for example).
    Vogue, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Tons of popular models are currently on sale, including brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, and Amazon.
    Averi Baudler, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024
  • The latest machine, the Nespresso Vertuo Pop, is a more compact machine that resembles the Vertuo Next and right now there’s a cool matte black model on sale.
    Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The meal features a 16- to 18-pound roast turkey and eight sides including classics like homemade Cranberry Sauce, Mashed Potatoes with Giblet Gravy, and Sweet Potatoes topped with Marshmallows & Maple Syrup, For $30, an Apple or Pumpkin Pie can be added.
    Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Pressman Film, the indie producer founded by the late Edward Pressman and behind classics from Wall Street to American Psycho, has broken new ground in film financing with the first slate listed on popular investment platform Republic.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • This is the same guy who wanted to close UCF and proposed other radical ideas like appointing himself as president of Florida Atlantic University.
    Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Nov. 2024
  • The former calls for a counterfactual view of how testing works; the latter calls for political will and policy ideas not currently in evidence.
    Peter Greene, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The political scientist Joseph Nye has argued that these American ideals are a core component of U.S. soft power.
    Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Proponents of the movement argue that support for Trump among men points to differing ideals for women's rights.
    Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The cinema has undergone several incarnations since it was built by brothers Jimmy and Johnny Houlihan and opened in 1919.
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
  • The care that went into crafting an album that contends with multiple incarnations of Linkin Park reveals a unit with its sights set on conquering arenas and stadiums again.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • These stories are then used as a tool to vividly imagine living that dream life, thus reinforcing their manifestation practice.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Clearly, more research needs to be done on gender differences in terms of the risks and manifestations of various diseases, as well as responses to treatments.
    Stacey Colino, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Second, investment success is less about perfection and more about participation.
    Wes Moss, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
  • There is a word for this in Japanese, shibumi, that denotes an aesthetic of austere simplicity and effortless perfection, of doing the most with the least.
    Bailey Trela, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near exemplar

Cite this Entry

“Exemplar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exemplar. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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