exemplify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
exemplifies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
exemplified,
past participle, past
-
exemplifying
present participle
verb
-
to show by example
-
to serve as an example of
-
law
-
to make an official copy of (a document from public records) under seal
-
to transcribe (a legal document)
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
exemplifysimple
-
exemplifiessimple
-
have exemplifiedperfect
-
has exemplifiedperfect
-
am exemplifyingprogressive
-
are exemplifyingprogressive
-
is exemplifyingprogressive
-
have been exemplifyingperfect progressive
-
has been exemplifyingperfect progressive
Past
-
exemplifiedsimple
-
had exemplifiedperfect
-
was exemplifyingprogressive
-
were exemplifyingprogressive
-
had been exemplifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of exemplify
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English exemplifien, from Middle French exemplifier, from Medieval Latin exemplificāre “to copy”; See exemplum, -ify
Explanation
If you exemplify something, you're the perfect example of it. Say you wear frilly shirts, knee-high boots, and black eye-make-up — you exemplify the fashion world's obsession with pirates. Exemplifying something can also mean make it clearer by offering an illustration or an example. If you want to exemplify your argument that, say, pirate gear is fashionable, you might want to show your friends some pictures of celebrities wearing eye patches.
Vocabulary lists containing exemplify
Power Suffix: -fy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 9, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Examples of individual stocks that exemplify the three defensive stock-picking strategies appear in the table below.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
All the denizens of Thoreau’s Cape Cod, from its scraggly scrub pine trees to its people, exemplify the humility that goes hand-in-hand with danger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
Two of the stories here, among her best, exemplify that skill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026
Habib said his two newest recruits "exemplify the kind of public servants Advance UK exists to support - principled, serious people who want to represent their communities honestly and without fear".
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
The 1919 experiments would exemplify the Rutherford style.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
According to Kieran no-one exemplifies this better than a young lad named Cali whom he met in Alabama.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
No one exemplifies this generous worldview better than Lotta, who turns out not to be the villain of May’s darkest imaginings but a complicated, compassionate and rather philosophical human being.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
An early standout, “As I Lay Dying” exemplifies the author’s cubist technique by shifting across the fragmented thoughts of 15 characters involved in honoring a poor woman’s wish to be buried in her hometown.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
The margin story exemplifies the challenge for Oracle and other high-margin software companies.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Their role at Cajamarca thus exemplifies a military weapon that remained potent for 6,000 years, until the early 20th century, and that was eventually applied on all the continents.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
It’s all part of his “simple approach” to life, as exemplified in his so-called Patriot Games, conducted on Tuesday.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
And that risk-seeking attitude is exemplified by the action in major index options, he believes.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
The playful partnering among its four women and men exemplified Mr. Morris’s gift for making old world dances and dancing feel fresh.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The batters' struggles were exemplified by a delivery from New Zealand seamer Matt Henry that barely bounced above ankle height and cannoned into the stumps, giving England's Jacob Bethell's no chance.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
More surprising was the conversion of the black business and intellectual classes in Durham, best exemplified by the Durham Committee on Negro Affairs.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Microsoft’s stock is having its worst month since 2000, and it’s tracking toward one of its worst annual performances on record, exemplifying a broader rotation out of the “Magnificent Seven.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
My award supposedly resulted from a vote by teachers and fellow eighth-graders as the student exemplifying the medal’s virtues—a citizenship prize.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026
The past and present were melded in that UCLA-LSU matchup, exemplifying the skill seen and fun of following women’s sports.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2025
He added: "These officers acted with professionalism and courage, exemplifying the very best of what it means to serve and protect."
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2024
The relative lack of material goods has led some to regard these groups as exemplifying an ethic of living lightly on the land.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
