1
as in men
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 examples
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of specimens
The specimens discovered in five caves near the city of Arar in northern Saudi Arabia offer a glimpse of hope for reintroducing the species to the Arabian Peninsula.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2026
Boug and his colleagues dated two of these specimens and five of the skeletal remains, with the oldest having lived some 4,000 years ago and the youngest having lived 130 years ago.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 15 Jan. 2026
For the study, the Tumat rhino’s genome was compared with specimens from 18,000 and 49,000 years ago.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
Holland America Line collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases for testing and isolated ill passengers and crew, the CDC reports.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Serious shellers know to get to the beach early for prime specimens like sand dollars, whelks, and scallops.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Jan. 2026
Accompanied by his mother (my great-grandmother), Ripley traveled to this area to collect rare specimens, including birds of paradise, crowned pigeons, pheasants, and storks.
—Gisela Williams, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
Further analysis of museum specimens’ stomach contents confirmed that seven-arm octopus feeds on jellyfish and other gelatinous animals.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
Phillips fits the archetype that the Red Sox have sought since Craig Breslow took over, namely gigantic physical specimens with the tools to handle big innings and big velocity.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specimens
Noun
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The detention of at least five men in and around Minneapolis has sparked an outcry among Native American groups about Indigenous people being racially profiled as undocumented immigrants by federal immigration agents.—
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She’s been in business since the ’90s, and men honestly don’t have that many places to shop.—
Noun
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Key Takeaways Running, cycling, HIIT, and jumping rope are all examples of cardio exercise proven to improve cholesterol profiles.—
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Strangely some of the most famous examples are of accountants and insurance salesman.—
Noun
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Enjoying the last year of high school and being with the guys was awesome.—
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Closer to shore, two guys from suburban Minneapolis, Matt Wavrin and Adam Benedict, brave the sub-zero temps in a pop-up tent warmed to 50 degrees by a propane heater.—
Noun
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In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been analyzing the entire genetic code of virus samples to determine if the outbreaks are related, a newer technique that has not traditionally been used to assess measles transmission.—
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The Division will continue to work with station owners to test fuel samples and identify impacted retailers.—
Noun
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But no creatures are as synonymous with the Everglades as the alligators and crocodiles.—
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What differs from living creatures is how the gelatin can heal.—
Noun
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Episode 3 ended with Ron, Eric Nam, Kristen Kish, and Caroline Stanbury all tied to trees and hilariously pleading for their lives while the Traitors and a masked executioner all just kind of stood there awkwardly.—
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What happened next was the drive of Beck’s and the Hurricanes’ lives.—
Noun
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However, Chuba Hubbard’s calf injury in the second quarter of the season opened things up for Dowdle to emerge.—
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Jeff Klaiber took those things and molded Lehman into an Olympian, at times pushing boundaries and pushing Lehman to the brink.—
Noun
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And when unlawful acts are committed, hold individuals accountable.—
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To date, more than 30 individuals have been prosecuted and convicted.—
Cite this Entry
“Specimens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specimens. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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