Thesaurus results for EXEMPLAR

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

exemplar

noun

ig-ˈzem-ˌplär

Definition of exemplar

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

Relevance

as in model

someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation few of history's heroes were quite the exemplars that generations of schoolteachers made them out to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in classic

the most perfect type or example the paintings of the French painter Claude Monet are often regarded as exemplars of Impressionism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 exemplar These exemplars of the 30% show augmentation’s sustainable edge. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 Melissa are prime exemplars of how to do it right — and you’re bound to discover both the ultra-luxury and the laid-back amidst Nordstrom’s bursting-at-the-seams sale section this May. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 May 2026 The trio of titles making the rounds at Cannes are exemplars of the type of material Anonymous Content intends to pursue that this moment of great upheaval across film and TV. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 8 May 2026 Snapchat would, in fact, be superseded as the political-comms fad du jour, but Democratic hand-wringing about the Party’s visibility in a fragmented attention economy has never gone out of style, and Swalwell has often been seen as an exemplar of how to be everywhere, all at once. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exemplar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exemplar

Noun

Wynn One example is the UAE's first casino resort, the Wynn Al Marjan Island, was originally due to open in the first quarter of 2027 but was recently delayed to September.

— Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Take gingham as an example; everyone’s favorite picnic plaid.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of example

Noun

Muso’s model of proactive community healthcare is showing what becomes possible when care moves closer to families.

— Big Think, Big Think, 18 Aug. 2026
Summary Hugging Face's latest report highlights a rapidly expanding community distribution layer for open models, converting raw weights into runnable formats like GGUF.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of model

Noun

There's some solid Santa Maria-style BBQ tri-tip, as well as Tex Mex classics like nachos and quesadillas alongside a variety of burgers and fries.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
With the ongoing proliferation of streaming services, international audiences have greater access to the large and diverse catalog of anime films than ever before, including these eight classics.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of classic

Noun

About 80 per cent of City’s existing first-team squad went on the pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea, meaning Maresca has been able to get his ideas across to most of the players.

— Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Aries March 21 – April 19 Your bright idea needs an audience and a little editing.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of idea

Noun

In 2026, the spectacle of world-class athletes breaking down in sweltering conditions became the latest sign that the Continent’s rapid warming is bringing that ideal to an end.

— Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Ocampo has demonstrated, as has Karim Kahn, that uncontrolled authority, whether in the name of justice or any other ideal, can result in travesty if not outright tragedy.

— Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of ideal

Noun

But the modern incarnation is largely a product of the pandemic, with theft quadrupling from levels seen before 2020.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Some 1,600 episodes of the puppet show will be restored, as a CGI incarnation of the property enters development and will be shopped to buyers at MIPCOM in October.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of incarnation

Noun

Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini You were deeply affected by a Yoplait Light commercial as a youth and consider this suit to be the physical manifestation of confidence.

— Madeline Goetz, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
But the competition for the Golden Lion and the festival’s other awards is only the start of Venice’s wide-ranging embrace of the art of cinema in its many manifestations.

— David Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of manifestation

Noun

But their exceptional sound only doubles down on that, which uses algorithms to bring their sound processing pretty darn close to perfection.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
The season is coming to a close, yes, but the water is at its warmest, the farmstand fruit is at its sweetest, and the temperatures, once far too high, have usually cooled down to the high 70s and low 80s (perfection).

— Annie Daly, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of perfection

Browse Nearby Words

exempla

exemplar

exemplars

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Style

“Exemplar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exemplar. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of exemplar

noun

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