Word
exemplary
Phoneticsex·em·plary
US/ɪɡˈzɛmpɫɝi/
UK/ɛɡzˈɛmpləɹi/
Definitions
01perfect model
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. of such high quality that it should be an example for others to follow.
adj. serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind. Often used to describe behavior, service, or character.
“The student was praised for her exemplary behavior during the school trip.”
“The company’s commitment to environmental sustainability has been exemplary, setting a new standard for the entire manufacturing industry.”
Usage
Usually precedes the noun it modifies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02serving as a warning
C2 · Proficiency Law Formal · Technical
adj. used to describe a punishment that is intended to warn other people not to do the same thing.
adj. serving as a warning or deterrent. Frequently occurs in the legal collocation 'exemplary damages'.
“The judge handed down an exemplary sentence to discourage others from committing the same crime.”
“The court awarded exemplary damages to the plaintiff, intending to punish the defendant's egregious conduct and deter similar corporate negligence.”
Usage
Commonly used in legal and judicial contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“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.” Etymology
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.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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