Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Boritt, a Hungarian refugee who became an influential historian of two archetypical American subjects—Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War—died on Feb. 2 in Chambersburg, Pa. He was 86.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

With his Buzz Lightyear-like square jaw and clean cut appearance, he comes across as the archetypical heroic astronaut.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025

Prime Video draws a share of that audience with “House of David,” the archetypical story of the little guy rising to defeat a giant.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2025

Despite these directional trends, however, ceratioids also displayed remarkable variability in body shapes from the archetypical globose anglerfish to elongated forms like the "wolftrap" phenotype, which features a jaw structure resembling a trap.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2024

The name he shouted was that of the TV character most synonymous with the archetypical skinny, ineffectual, small-town policeman.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover