1
as in samplings
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 examples
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
as in tests
to put (something) to a test
sampled the soup to see if it tasted good
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 samples
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Factors, a term for merchants, brought samples to the exchange.
—Jim Halley, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Footwork often uses samples for comedic effect, and with username and Marsh crane this element is center stage.
—Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 26 Jan. 2026
Such tests are best performed with larger samples.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Soil samples and a DNA sample from her coat was sent to an FBI lab for testing.
—Sarah Prior, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
Start by putting aside your everyday essentials and instead tackle any old palettes, expired bottles, unopened gifts, and pile of perfume samples.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 25 Jan. 2026
Toxicology samples have been collected and sent for further forensic analysis.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
The Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity, based in New York City, recently reviewed airline water systems over a three-year period, analyzing over 35,000 samples collected between 2022 and 2025.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Max Richter also got a nomination for his score, which samples old-fashioned instruments like the viol and hurdy-gurdy.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026
Walker deliciously samples new genres here, too.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2025
The new servo extruder continuously samples position and resistance at a rate of 20KHz.
—PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Pink Friday 2, catchy track ‘Everybody’, which samples Junior Senior song ‘Move Your Feet’.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
As One of Us gleefully samples multiple registers—comic, tragic, satiric, elegiac, poetic—its mesh of archaic and contemporary styles becomes something quite arresting, a joy to read … Chaon’s beautiful novel insists on answers.
—Book Marks
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
The Rainmakers t an observatory atop Puy de Dôme, a 4,800-foot inactive volcano in central France, the microbiologist Pierre Amato samples clouds.
—Katherine Bourzac, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Say yes to samples Thompson, Frank and Sprouts NoDa store manager Willie Pringle said just about everything in the store can be sampled.
—Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
To learn more, the researchers relied on a unique dataset created by analyzing seawater samples that have been collected twice weekly from La Jolla’s Scripps Pier since 2018.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Factors, a term for merchants, brought samples to the exchange.
—Jim Halley, AJC.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Footwork often uses samples for comedic effect, and with username and Marsh crane this element is center stage.
—Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 26 Jan. 2026
Such tests are best performed with larger samples.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Soil samples and a DNA sample from her coat was sent to an FBI lab for testing.
—Sarah Prior, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
Start by putting aside your everyday essentials and instead tackle any old palettes, expired bottles, unopened gifts, and pile of perfume samples.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 25 Jan. 2026
Toxicology samples have been collected and sent for further forensic analysis.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
The Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity, based in New York City, recently reviewed airline water systems over a three-year period, analyzing over 35,000 samples collected between 2022 and 2025.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Verb
Of the clean-up options detailed in its application, the city prefers a plan that removes the pile and basement foundation, then samples the soil and groundwater to find out whether further work is needed to mitigate toxins.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Max Richter also got a nomination for his score, which samples old-fashioned instruments like the viol and hurdy-gurdy.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026
Walker deliciously samples new genres here, too.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2025
The new servo extruder continuously samples position and resistance at a rate of 20KHz.
—PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Pink Friday 2, catchy track ‘Everybody’, which samples Junior Senior song ‘Move Your Feet’.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
As One of Us gleefully samples multiple registers—comic, tragic, satiric, elegiac, poetic—its mesh of archaic and contemporary styles becomes something quite arresting, a joy to read … Chaon’s beautiful novel insists on answers.
—Book Marks
september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
The Rainmakers t an observatory atop Puy de Dôme, a 4,800-foot inactive volcano in central France, the microbiologist Pierre Amato samples clouds.
—Katherine Bourzac, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Say yes to samples Thompson, Frank and Sprouts NoDa store manager Willie Pringle said just about everything in the store can be sampled.
—Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for samples
Noun
-
Oysterville Sea Farms is the place to see the best oyster beds and watch the boats come in and out and Goose Point Family Farm and Oystery offers samplings and oysters for purchase.—
Noreen Kompanik,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The activation extends throughout Grand Central with its Grand Brasserie and Campbell restaurants offering samplings and bottle engravings with purchase at Central Cellars.—
Kanika Talwar,
Footwear News,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Yale, Columbia, Brown, the University of Southern California, Boston University, and the Univesity of Pennsylvania are examples of schools that also scaled back, rescinded, paused or stopped new admissions.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
There are plenty of examples like this in nature even within the plain old Standard Model.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Her license will remain suspended for 30 days, with an ignition interlock device that tests for alcohol to be installed on her vehicle for six months.—
Katie Mulvaney,
The Providence Journal,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The grants will fund development work over the next two years as Maryland tests how the tools could be used alongside existing systems.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Over the years, Grains and Taps has expanded from selling local and worldwide beer selections to offering their own brews, opened a second location at Pine Tree Plaza and added a restaurant.—
Janice Phelan,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Expect high-end steaks on the menu, along with options that a raw bar and other seafood selections.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The exhibition was designed in part by asking collection managers to choose objects and specimens to highlight.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Some of those specimens are not at the state health lab.—
Joseph Choi,
The Hill,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Samples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/samples. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
