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model

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adjective

model

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun model differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of model are example, exemplar, ideal, and pattern. While all these words mean "someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation," model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation.

a decor that is a model of good taste

When could example be used to replace model?

The meanings of example and model largely overlap; however, 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

Where would exemplar be a reasonable alternative to model?

The synonyms exemplar and model are sometimes interchangeable, but exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification.

cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage

When might ideal be a better fit than model?

The words ideal and model are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception.

never found a job that matched his ideal

In what contexts can pattern take the place of model?

Although the words pattern and model have much in common, pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype.

American industry set a pattern for others to follow

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 model
Noun
PCMag gave it a 3.5-star review for the 2024 model year. Emily Forlini, PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025 The result was a wide variety of power-train configurations finding a home in an eclectic array of models. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
First established in 1879, these institutions aimed to remove Native American children from their families and communities, deny them the right to speak their languages and practice their religions, and train them to be model Americans. Kerri Malloy, The Conversation, 25 July 2024 Kim Ji-uk is known for being a model neighbourhood citizen and works night shifts at a convenience store. Sara Merican, Deadline, 17 July 2024
Verb
The dataset covers the period between September 2004 and December 2023 and will enable researchers to explore and model some of the mysterious phenomena that take place at higher altitudes, including the mesmerizing aurora borealis and its antipodean counterpart, the aurora australis. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2025 In honor of Valentine’s Day, Skims tapped Rosé to model the brand’s comfortable yet cute lingerie and pajama sets—adorned with hearts and kiss prints in pretty shades of pink, red, and beyond. Irene Kim, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for model 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for model
Noun
  • Inside, there’s a photomechanical reproduction on gold of Eisenhower’s husband, President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Lending pandas to zoos across the U.S. and other countries also encourages reproduction and helps save the giant pandas from extinction.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The company also said that enhanced visual merchandising in stores and the reintroduction of mannequins on the shop floor; cross-category styling ,and styling innovations on the Burberry website also helped to tempt customers.
    Samantha Conti, WWD, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Draping, by the way, is the process of creating a garment by pinning and arranging fabrics directly on a mannequin, or even on a person, which might sound odd but is not at all unusual in high fashion.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • And Analysts Work Together As One The most powerful ideas align with the needs of the audience.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
  • This trade idea has the Rockets bolstering their frontcourt by adding one of the best available big men on the trading block, Portland Trail Blazers center, Robert Williams III.
    Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Mixing the classic taste of Coca-Cola with a burst of orange seems like the perfect pairing.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2025
  • On the irreverent horror comedy side, Edgar Wright’s brilliant classic Shaun of the Dead also springs to mind, but that was released 21 years ago.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Their work paves the way for a new era of ultrafast computing with applications in fields ranging from signal processing to pattern recognition and beyond.
    The Physics arXiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025
  • The basis for doing so is that English in this case is the predominant form of the words that were patterned on.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Sachs’s ability to convey lives in miniature should serve him well with such an intimate, subtle premise, especially given the power of these two actors.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
  • From the audience under the rotunda, Republicans gleamed their approval and Democrats sulked in opposition — a piece of theater that, in miniature, encapsulated the broader partisan divisions and cultural differences that practically define American politics in the modern era.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • In the 1990s, the central figure was El Chapo Guzman, and later, Amado Carrillo.
    Anna Lagos, WIRED, 24 Jan. 2025
  • The 8 Elite already has significantly boosted CPU, GPU, and NPU figures, thanks to its custom cores.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Don't waste points on something that could be cheaper out of pocket; always compare the cash vs. points price of a flight, for example, to find your best cent-per-point value.
    Amelia Edelman, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025
  • One night in Mendoza, for example, a team of chefs prepped an asado in the middle of a vineyard while tango performers put on a show.
    Chris Dong, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near model

Cite this Entry

“Model.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/model. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on model

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