example
[noun]
Synonyms:
- specimen, case, illustration, instance, sample
- model, archetype, ideal, paradigm, paragon, prototype, standard
- warning, caution, lesson

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Related Idioms: shining example, case in point

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English Thesaurus: example, case, instance, illustration, for example, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

ex‧am‧ple S1 W1 /ɪɡˈzɑːmpəl $ ɪɡˈzæm-/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin exemplum, from eximere 'to take out']

1. a specific fact, idea, person, or thing that is used to explain or support a general idea, or to show what is typical of a larger group
example of
Can anyone give me an example of a transitive verb?

2. for example used before mentioning a specific thing, person, place etc in order to explain what you mean or to support an argument:
Many countries, for example Mexico and Japan, have a lot of earthquakes.
Car prices can vary a lot. For example, in Belgium the VW Golf costs $1,000 less than in Britain.

3. someone whose behaviour is very good and should be copied by others, or this type of behaviour
example to
Her courage is an example to us all.
Parents should set an example for their children.
I suggest you follow Rosie’s example (=copy her behaviour) and start doing regular exercise.
The team captain leads by example.
She’s a shining example (=a very good example) of what a mother should be.

4. make an example of somebody to punish someone so that other people are afraid to do the same thing

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

example
noun
I. sth that is typical/demonstrates a point
ADJ. characteristic, classic, prime, representative, typical This is a classic example of a badly designed building.
excellent, fine, good, impressive, magnificent, outstanding, perfect, superb, wonderful a magnificent example of sixteenth-century architecture
fascinating, interesting, intriguing | notable, remarkable, striking | graphic, vivid | dramatic, extreme, spectacular | clear, obvious, simple, straightforward | blatant, flagrant, glaring His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance. | familiar, famous, well-known | notorious | common | rare | much-quoted, oft-quoted, often-quoted The oft-quoted example of Nero playing the violin as Rome burned shows the Emperor's detachment from reality.
illustrative | helpful, illuminating, instructive, useful | practical The book is full of practical examples of classroom activities.
concrete Let me give a concrete example of what I mean.
hypothetical
VERB + EXAMPLE give sb, provide (sb with) Let me give you a few examples of what I mean.
contain, include The leaflet includes several examples of bad grammar.
cite, draw, take (sth as) She illustrates her point with examples drawn from contemporary newspaper accounts. To take an obvious example, if there is a good harvest the price of grain will fall.
find
EXAMPLE + VERB illustrate sth, show sth
PREP. for ~ A touring cyclist, for example, might turn the pedals 80 times a minute.
in an/the ~ The teacher in our example is clearly wrong.
~ of We can still find examples of discrimination today.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

example
II. sb whose behaviour is good and should be copied
ADJ. good, great, inspiring, shining She is a shining example of how to organize your time.
bad, poor
VERB + EXAMPLE set, show You must set a good example to the children.
follow I think all schools should follow the example of this one.
hold sb/sth up as The film was held up as an example of good cinema.
PREP. by ~ Children learn by example.
~ to His generosity is an example to us all.
PHRASES make an example of sb The headmaster had made an example of him by scolding him in front of the whole school.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

example

a good/typical example
This painting is a good example of his early work.
a fine/excellent example
The house is a fine example of a medieval building.
an outstanding example (=extremely good)
The garden is one of the most outstanding examples of traditional Japanese garden design.
a classic/perfect/prime example (=very typical)
This is a classic example of how not to run a business.
The pot is a perfect example of the Marine Style.
This is a prime example of government incompetence.
an obvious example
Our climate is changing at an alarming rate. The melting of the polar ice caps is an obvious example of this.
a blatant/glaring example (=very obvious and very bad)
His case is a blatant example of the unfairness of the current systen.
an extreme example
To give you an extreme example, one lady called the police fifteen times in a single evening.
a notable example formal (=important and worth mentioning)
Some places contain a huge variety of animal and plant life. The two most notable examples are tropical forests and coral reefs.
a graphic example (=very clear and full of unpleasant details)
The film is full of graphic examples of what can go wrong if the proper safety procedures are not followed.
give (somebody) an example
Let me give you an example of how this might happen.
provide an example
Our brochure provides examples of the different villas on offer.
take an example (=consider it or talk about it)
Let’s take the example of a family with two school-age children.
use an example
He used several examples to illustrate his point.
cite an example (=mention an example )
The report cites the example of Sweden, where there is a complete ban on advertising on children's television.
find an example
We found examples of people being overcharged by as much as 50%.
contain/include an example
The exhibition also contains some examples of his book illustrations.
an example shows/illustrates something
These examples show how the disease can be passed on to humans.
set an example (=show by your own behaviour how other people should behave)
You should be setting an example for your little brother.
follow sb’s example (=copy someone’s behaviour)
I tried to follow my parent’s example with my own kids.
lead by example (=show people what they should do by doing it yourself)
The captain of the team should lead by example.
hold somebody up as an example (=use someone as a good example of something)
He was held up as an example to the younger athletes.
a good/positive example
The older boys should set a positive example for the rest of the school.
a shining example (=a very good example)
Professor Squires was a shining example of what a good teacher should be.
an inspiring example (=someone who makes other people want to do something great or good)
Jenny’s story is an inspiring example of courage in the face of adversity.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

example
noun
1.
BAD: Medicine is a good example for something that we pass from one generation to the next.
GOOD: Medicine is a good example of something that we pass from one generation to the next.

Usage Note:
an example of sth (NOT for ): 'He is a classic example of a man who cannot control his ambition.'

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2.
BAD: A manager is supposed to give a good example.
GOOD: A manager is supposed to set a good example.

Usage Note:
set an example or set a good example = behave correctly so that the people who copy you will behave correctly: 'The school captain is expected to set a good example.'
Compare: 'Instead of trying to explain the theory, he just gave us a few good examples.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

example something that you mention because it is typical of the kind of thing that you are talking about:
The hall is a perfect example of medieval architecture.
There are many ways in which technology has changed our lives. The car is an obvious example.
This painting is a typical example of Picasso’s work in his Blue Period.
case an example of something that happens, especially something bad:
There have been some cases of women employees being fired because they are pregnant.
In one case a man was charged $2,000 for a simple medical check-up.
Recent government spending on schools is a classic case of too little, too late.
instance an example of a particular kind of situation or event, especially something bad. Instance is more formal than case:
Some users of Ecstasy have actually died, but such instances are very rare.
The report describes instances of discrimination.
In a few rare instances, the disease can cause death.
illustration something, especially a story or situation, that you use as an example:
As an illustration of this, consider the following example.
He mentioned the recent events in the Middle East by way of illustration (=as an example).
for example used when giving an example:
Prices have risen sharply. The price of gasoline, for example, has risen by over 50%.
Nepal has many attractions for visitors. For example, you can go trekking in the Himalayas, or see tigers in Chitwan National Park.
for instance used when giving an example. For instance is slightly less formal than for example and is used more in spoken English:
There were many unanswered questions. For instance, where was the money going to come from?
Some people are really good languages. Take Katie, for instance.
eg/e.g. written used when giving an example or a list of examples. Don’t use eg in formal writing – use the full phrase for example:
Make sure you eat foods that contain protein, e.g. meat, fish, eggs, milk, or cheese.
such as especially written used when giving one or two typical examples when there are many others:
It is difficult to get even basic foods such as bread and sugar.
take spoken used when giving a particular example as a way of proving that what you are saying is correct:
Take John – he has a good job but he didn’t go to university.
It is possible to recover from some types of cancer. Take skin cancer, for example.
be a case in point used when emphasizing that someone or something is a good or typical example of what you have just mentioned:
Some birds have returned to Britain after once being extinct here. The return of the osprey is a case in point.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

example
ɪɡˈzɑ:mpl
See: for example , make an example of

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲