sample 1 of 2

noun

ˈsam-pəl How to pronounce sample (audio)
Definition of samplenext
1
as in sampling
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in example
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

sample

2 of 2

verb

as in to test
to put (something) to a test sampled the soup to see if it tasted good

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sample distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of sample are case, example, illustration, instance, and specimen. While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities.

show us a sample of your work

When is case a more appropriate choice than sample?

While in some cases nearly identical to sample, case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with.

a case of mistaken identity

When can example be used instead of sample?

The meanings of example and sample largely overlap; however, example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

When could illustration be used to replace sample?

Although the words illustration and sample have much in common, illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

When might instance be a better fit than sample?

In some situations, the words instance and sample are roughly equivalent. However, instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

In what contexts can specimen take the place of sample?

The synonyms specimen and sample are sometimes interchangeable, but specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

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 sample
Noun
The temptation to make reactive changes based on small sample sizes is constant. —Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 24 Oct. 2025 The samples are now being analyzed in Paris as authorities work to identify the suspects and the manhunt for the four main suspects in the brazen heist enters its sixth day on Friday. —Lilia Geho, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
The new servo extruder continuously samples position and resistance at a rate of 20KHz. —PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 Among the meat sampled, contamination rates were highest in chicken and turkey products. —Aria Bendix, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sample
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sample
  1. sampling
  2. example
  3. test
  4. specimen
Noun
  • There will be hands-on training to conduct water quality testing and macro-invertebrate sampling.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
  • One problem with the Google team’s claims of a quantum advantage over regular computers has been their use of a benchmark called random circuit sampling.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of sampling
Noun
  • One example of such smaller space weather events is a magnetic flux rope—bundles of magnetic fields wrapped around each other like a rope.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
  • One of the most famous examples of a major business leader succeeding from failure was Apple’s visionary cofounder Steve Jobs.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of example
Verb
  • An internal investigation by Kenvue Brands LLC, the company that owns Neutrogena, revealed the brand’s Makeup Remover Ultra-Soft Cleansing Towelettes tested positive for a bacteria known as pluralibacter gergoviae, per information released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Given the Frenchman’s frightening form — already up to 18 goals for club and country this season — expect to see Mbappe looking to test the millimetric precision of the Barcelona high line once again.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of test
Noun
  • In total, the researchers analyzed 357 contemporary mosquitoes and 22 historical specimens, and used additional mosquito samples from a separate study, which beefed up the overall count to about 800.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In both the dinosaur mummy specimens, the skin, spikes, and hooves have not been preserved as tissue but as a sub-millimeter clay film that formed on the carcass surface soon after burial.
    — Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of specimen

Browse Nearby Words

sampans
sample
sampled
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Cite this Entry

“Sample.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sample. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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