paragon

[ par-uh-gon, -guhn ]

/ ˈpær əˌgɒn, -gən /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: paragon / paragoned / paragoning on Thesaurus.com

noun

a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence: a paragon of virtue.

someone of exceptional merit: Just who is this paragon whose name is on everyone's lips?

Printing. a 20-point type.

an unusually large, round pearl.

verb (used with object)

Rare. to compare; parallel.

Archaic. to be a match for; rival.

Obsolete. to surpass.

Obsolete. to regard as a paragon.

SYNONYMS FOR paragon

1 ideal, standard, epitome, quintessence; example, exemplar, paradigm.

2 nonesuch, nonpareil.

See synonyms for paragon on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!

Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!

Question 1 of 12

On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.

it's

its

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of paragon

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French paragon, parangon “model,” from Old Italian paragone “touchstone,” from paragonare “to compare, test on a touchstone,” from Greek parakonân “to sharpen, whet,” equivalent to para- “beside, alongside” + akonân “to sharpen, whet,” a derivative of akónē “whetstone, bone”

OTHER WORDS FROM paragon

par·a·gon·less, adjective

Words nearby paragon

paraglider, paragliding, paraglyph printing, paragnathous, paragoge, paragon, paragonimiasis, Paragonimus, Paragonimus westermani, paragonite, Paragould

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for paragon

Plenty of liberal-leaning shows aren’t paragons of truth either, but they haven’t been banned.
Twitter and YouTube Banned Steve Bannon. Apple Still Gives Him Millions of Listeners.|by Lydia DePillis|January 19, 2021|ProPublica
The 151-year-old sport of college football has never been a paragon of parity, but its imbalance might be growing more imbalanced.
The College Football Playoff has become an exclusive club. West Coast schools not invited.|Chuck Culpepper|December 18, 2020|Washington Post
EVThere are a few characters in the Disney canon, like Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston, who are seen as homoerotic paragons.
Toward a queer Disney canon|Emily VanDerWerff|September 4, 2020|Vox
Before I bid Kaufman farewell, I asked him how Yoda, a Jedi paragon, would take his advice about integrating the dark side.
Are You Yoda or Darth Vader? - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Brian Gallagher|August 26, 2020|Nautilus

The Ralph Retort, a paragon of ethical journalism websites, decided to make crowdsourcing stuff to discredit me into a project.
Rage Against GamerGate’s Hate Machine: What I Got For Speaking Up|Arthur Chu|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Paragon of virtue Oliver North called for charges to be filed against Warner Brothers Music.
A Brief History of the Phrase 'F*ck the Police'|Rich Goldstein|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While Bacall seems like a paragon of cool confidence in the final product, she was a nervous wreck on set.
Bogie & Bacall: A Hollywood Romance for the Ages|Marlow Stern|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The man who holds ABC/ESPN's wacky goulash of World Cup punditry together strikes viewers as a paragon of congeniality.
World Cup Anchor Mike Tirico’s Bizarre History: Reports of Stalking and Sexual Harassment|Marlow Stern|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was a paragon of masculinity—a tall, dark, and impossibly handsome enigma.
What's Happened to Don Draper? Why Everyone’s Favorite ‘Mad Men’ Stud Needs His Mojo Back|Lizzie Crocker|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Presently I enquired when she proposed to introduce this paragon to the person responsible for him.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, November 4, 1914|Various
I recall the case of a gentleman whose reputation was that of a paragon of all the virtues.
The Sexual Life of the Child|Albert Moll
Olga, a paragon of maids, if references and experience count, showed no signs of the wear and tear of previous mistresses.
The Beauty|Mrs. Wilson Woodrow
Alice Turner was engaged also, and certainly very much in love if she considered the young man a paragon.
A Little Girl in Old Salem|Amanda Minnie Douglas
Then he thought bitterly upon that paragon of perfection who had caused his banishment.
The Honorable Percival|Alice Hegan Rice

British Dictionary definitions for paragon

paragon

/ (ˈpærəɡən) /

noun

a model of excellence; patterna paragon of virtue

a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 20 point

verb (tr)

archaic

to equal or surpass
to compare
to regard as a paragon

Word Origin for paragon

C16: via French from Old Italian paragone comparison, from Medieval Greek parakonē whetstone, from Greek parakonan to sharpen against, from para- 1 + akonan to sharpen, from akonē whetstone

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

paragon