exemplary
- 01 C1 Advanced
of such high quality that it should be an example for others to follow.
serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind. Often used to describe behavior, service, or character.
Simple“The student was praised for her exemplary behavior during the school trip.”
In context“The company’s commitment to environmental sustainability has been exemplary, setting a new standard for the entire manufacturing industry.”
UsageUsually precedes the noun it modifies.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
used to describe a punishment that is intended to warn other people not to do the same thing.
serving as a warning or deterrent. Frequently occurs in the legal collocation 'exemplary damages'.
Simple“The judge handed down an exemplary sentence to discourage others from committing the same crime.”
In context“The court awarded exemplary damages to the plaintiff, intending to punish the defendant's egregious conduct and deter similar corporate negligence.”
UsageCommonly used in legal and judicial contexts.
Synonyms
“Hull boast an exceptionally powerful team spirit driven by exemplary on-field leaders, including the veteran central defender John Egan.”
“Leading an exemplary cast of eight, Kesting is at the play’s troubling heart as a Roy Cohn who is at once brutish and intellectually consistent.”
From Middle French exemplaire (“exemplary; a copy, facsimile; an example; a sample, specimen”), from Latin exemplāris (“exemplary; a copy, facsimile”), from exemplum (“an example; a sample; a copy or transcript”). By surface analysis, example + -ary. Doublet of exemplar. First use as a noun appears c. 1425, as an adjective, c. 1507.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.