specimen

noun

ˈspes-mən How to pronounce specimen (audio)
Definition of specimennext
1
as in person
a member of the human race he's a particularly handsome specimen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like chose one frog as a good specimen of the breed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word specimen distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of specimen are case, example, illustration, instance, and sample. While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

When could case be used to replace specimen?

While in some cases nearly identical to specimen, 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 would example be a good substitute for specimen?

The words example and specimen can be used in similar contexts, but example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

In what contexts can illustration take the place of specimen?

In some situations, the words illustration and specimen are roughly equivalent. However, illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

When can instance be used instead of specimen?

The meanings of instance and specimen largely overlap; however, instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

Where would sample be a reasonable alternative to specimen?

Although the words sample and specimen have much in common, 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

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 specimen In fact, more than half of the specimens used in this study are held in a number of natural history museums around the world. —Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 The specimens represented a range of dietary ecologies, from strict carnivores to obligate herbivores, and a wide variety of skull shapes. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025 To sort it out, researchers took a closer look at the museum specimens, tested their DNA, compared photos of the live snakes and reread their notes from the field, the study said. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025 Bizarrely, though, his team couldn’t find any more specimens. —Marta Zaraska, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for specimen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specimen
  1. person
  2. example
  3. man
  4. sample
  5. guy
  6. life
  7. creature
  8. individual
Noun
  • Joshua Smellie, 34, of Hartford, has been arrested and is charged with first-degree assault, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal use of a firearm, risk of injury, first-degree reckless endangerment, and third-degree assault on an elderly person, according to the Hartford Police Department.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
  • The cost is $65 per person in a group, or $85 per person for a private hike.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
Definition of person
Noun
  • For example, staff shortages at the National Weather Service have resulted in reduced or halted daily weather balloon launches, changed schedules for some forecast advisories and fewer social media posts about weather conditions.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • Goldman Sachs, for example, cut back its 12-month recession forecast to 35% from 45% following the tentative deal with Beijing.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 13 May 2025
Definition of example
Noun
  • Still: There’s something a little nasty about using a man’s long-ago loyalty oath as an excuse to simply kill him for safety, especially when the whole operation is burned anyway, yes?
    — Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 14 May 2025
  • Hikers in New York state have found the remains of a Canadian man who was missing for five months in the Adirondack Mountains, officials say.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 14 May 2025
Definition of man
Noun
  • There were not enough handwriting samples of John and Frank to make a comparison, and the FBI concluded the card was probably a hoax inspired by the intense and worldwide news coverage.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 11 May 2025
  • Holmes told investors her company Theranos had created a new blood sample analyzer that would only require one drop to test for various diseases.
    — Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
Definition of sample
Noun
  • The dynamics are informed by a baseline of data from Mack, who oversees the Royals quantitative analysis staff and performance science department ... and happens to be a sharp and animated guy who loves to talk about this stuff.
    — Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025
  • Robinson stars as Craig Waterman, a regular suburban guy with a boring job, a charming florist wife who's losing interest in him (Kate Mara), and a teenage son (Jack Dylan Grazer) whose indifference borders on hostility.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 9 May 2025
Definition of guy
Noun
  • Founded by Frank Fertitta IV and Landon Gyulay, the Easy Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grant-making nonprofit committed to helping Veterans transition to civilian life by addressing critical needs including mental health care, job training, placement, and family support services.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 May 2025
  • Netflix’s The Four Seasons follows six friends through a year of their lives — and that year, sadly, ended in tragedy.
    — Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 4 May 2025
Definition of life
Noun
  • Elsewhere in the film, the Irish vampire Remmick, pursued by Choctaw vampire hunters, tricks his way into the protection of a pair of Klan members living near Clarksdale and turns them into creatures of the night.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 2 May 2025
  • Someone throws fire at the creatures from a second-floor window, and another person opens a side entrance.
    — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 1 May 2025
Definition of creature
Noun
  • These individuals often wrestled with whether to call off the wedding, all while imagining how life might look both with and without their current partner.
    — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025
  • Food is presented as a pathway to healing, meaning not only the health of individuals but also spiritually revitalizing First Nations people by reconnecting them with their roots.
    — Katie Rife, EW.com, 11 May 2025
Definition of individual

Browse Nearby Words

specifying
specimen
specimens
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Cite this Entry

“Specimen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specimen. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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