1
: a usually miniature representation of something
a plastic model of the human heart
also
: a pattern of something to be made
2
a
: a type or design of product (such as a car)
offers eight new models for next year, including a completely restyled convertible
b
: a type or design of clothing
girls, self-conscious in their Paris models—
Paul Bowles
Paul Bowles3
: a system of postulates, data, and inferences presented as a mathematical description of an entity or state of affairs
4
5
: an example for imitation or emulation
his written addresses are models of clearness, logical order, and style—A. B. Noble
A. B. Noble6
: one who is employed to display clothes or other merchandise
has appeared as a model in ads for swimsuits
7
: a person or thing that serves as a pattern for an artist
especially
: one who poses for an artist
His wife served as the model for many of his paintings.
8
: version sense 2
an experimental model of a bionic arm
9
: a description or analogy used to help visualize something (such as an atom) that cannot be directly observed
10
: structural design
a home on the model of an old farmhouse
11
: an organism whose appearance a mimic imitates
12
14
obsolete
: a set of plans for a building
modeled or modelled; modeling or modelling
ˈmäd-liŋ,
ˈmä-dᵊl-iŋ
1
: to construct or fashion in imitation of a particular model
modeled its constitution on that of the U.S.
2
a
: to shape or fashion in a plastic material
modeling figures from clay
b
: to produce a representation or simulation (see simulation sense 3a) of
using a computer to model a problem
3
: to display by wearing, using, or posing with
modeled gowns
4
: to plan or form after a pattern : shape
legislative institutions primarily modeled on the English pattern
5
archaic
: to make into an organization (such as an army, government, or parish)
1
: to work or act as a fashion or art model
Each contestant modeled in front of the judges.
2
: to design or imitate forms : make a pattern
The students are modeling in clay.
1
: serving as or capable of serving as a pattern
a model student
2
: being a usually miniature representation of something
a model airplane
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun
She's building a model of the Earth for science class.
a plastic model of the human heart
We've improved on last year's model, making the car safer and easier to control.
He bought one of the old 1965 models.
We couldn't afford one of the fancy TVs and had to buy the standard model.
We've developed a computer model of the economy to predict what will happen in the future.
Companies are developing new business models.
Verb
The faces of the gods were modeled in white stone.
They're modeling this year's new spring fashions.
She got a job modeling shoes for a catalog company.
a fashion model who has angered animal lovers by modeling fur coats
Adjective
Our university has a model program for training its athletes.
why can't you be like your sister, who is such a well-behaved model child?
See More
Recent Examples on the WebKat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2023
The daughter of model Christy Turlington and actor and filmmaker Ed Burns made her runway debut on Wednesday, walking in the British Vogue X LuisaViaRoma show in Florence.
—Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 16 June 2023
The agency’s efforts, along with its state partners in New Jersey and Delaware, involve the use of aerial surveys and on-the-ground observations that feed into a model of the total stopover population.
—Jon Hurdle, New York Times, 15 June 2023
The last major sticking point that industry reps point to is the use of fire models.
—Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2023
The 2023 Maserati Grecale Modena—a compact crossover SUV with seats for five—sports a deliberately unboxy shape, with silhouette, proportions and details similar to the longer Maserati Levante, currently the company’s best-selling model.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 15 June 2023
Thomas McGee, 32, an online fitness and nutrition coach, said personal trainers could also incorporate generative AI into their business models.
—Khadijah Khogeer, NBC News, 14 June 2023
To accomplish this, AI researchers at Google developed a new diffusion model.
—Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 14 June 2023
In this case, features of an organ recipient that administrators consider to be morally salient (age, health, number of dependents) are incorporated into a computational model.
—Andrew Serazin, Time, 14 June 2023
A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2023
The 27-year-old actress is in a series of shots modeling a brown string bikini, while showing off her super-strong arms and toned abs.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 15 June 2023
The Euphoria star regularly models retro-esque looks from the brand.
—Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 June 2023
One bill proposed by Senator Cynthia Creem, modeled after laws passed in New Jersey and Maryland, would require state building projects to use lower-emissions concrete.
—David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2023
The first gig the agent books for Cootie involves modeling a new line of streetwear called Asphalt Royalty.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 14 June 2023
Online grocery price increases decelerated for the eighth consecutive month, but remain high rising 8.2% in May from a year ago, according to Adobe index which is modeled after the government’s CPI and uses data from 85% of the top 100 internet retailers in its network.
—Maria Halkias, Dallas News, 13 June 2023
The National Association of School Psychologists recommends teachers keep classrooms in order by helping kids manage their behavior in ways that model and reinforce positive behaviors and involve students’ families.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 12 June 2023
Now, by modeling the dynamics of lava flows, Suckale and her colleagues have offered up another explanation: The abrupt transition could be triggered by a chaotic churn within the flood of molten rock, the team reported last month in Geophysical Research Letters.
—Bymaya Wei-haas, science.org, 9 June 2023
Andrew Birkle, Detroit Free Press, 16 May 2023
The firm has also previously sued the state education department because its model ethnic studies curriculum contained an affirmation that the firm claimed constituted an Aztec prayer.
—Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2023
The model minority myth, Thanh notes, paints AAPI people as never in need of assistance.
—Thuc Doan Nguyen, refinery29.com, 4 May 2023
In a day and age when too many are cynical about public service, McColgan was the model public servant, and, even rarer, an actual scholar and gentleman.
—Kevin Cullen, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Below, more from Longendyke on the secrets to her model-esque skin, her signature pose, and how modeling prompted her to accept her freckles.
—ELLE, 15 Mar. 2023
For nearly half a century, Portland was lauded as a model American metropolis, thanks to public and private initiatives, its waterfront and its proximity to mountains and coast.
—Jenny Jarvie, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Feb. 2023
By all accounts, Jerving was a model public servant.
—Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2023
President Biden praised retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer as a model public servant Thursday and reaffirmed his commitment to nominate a Black woman to fill his seat, pledging to make an announcement before the end of February.
—Sabrina Siddiqui, WSJ, 27 Jan. 2022
See More
Noun
Each model is designed to mow up to a certain size lawn, usually from .5 to 2 acres and beyond.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2023
The daughter of model Christy Turlington and actor and filmmaker Ed Burns made her runway debut on Wednesday, walking in the British Vogue X LuisaViaRoma show in Florence.
—Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 16 June 2023
The agency’s efforts, along with its state partners in New Jersey and Delaware, involve the use of aerial surveys and on-the-ground observations that feed into a model of the total stopover population.
—Jon Hurdle, New York Times, 15 June 2023
The last major sticking point that industry reps point to is the use of fire models.
—Sam Dean, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2023
The 2023 Maserati Grecale Modena—a compact crossover SUV with seats for five—sports a deliberately unboxy shape, with silhouette, proportions and details similar to the longer Maserati Levante, currently the company’s best-selling model.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 15 June 2023
Thomas McGee, 32, an online fitness and nutrition coach, said personal trainers could also incorporate generative AI into their business models.
—Khadijah Khogeer, NBC News, 14 June 2023
To accomplish this, AI researchers at Google developed a new diffusion model.
—Michelle Cheng, Quartz, 14 June 2023
In this case, features of an organ recipient that administrators consider to be morally salient (age, health, number of dependents) are incorporated into a computational model.
—Andrew Serazin, Time, 14 June 2023
Verb
And of course, there’s the unfortunate prophecy of Biff Tannen, whose rise to power in an alternate 1985 would come to mirror the political mess made by the fatcat that the filmmakers modeled him on, Donald Trump.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2023
The 27-year-old actress is in a series of shots modeling a brown string bikini, while showing off her super-strong arms and toned abs.
—Korin Miller, Women's Health, 15 June 2023
The Euphoria star regularly models retro-esque looks from the brand.
—Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 June 2023
One bill proposed by Senator Cynthia Creem, modeled after laws passed in New Jersey and Maryland, would require state building projects to use lower-emissions concrete.
—David Abel, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2023
The first gig the agent books for Cootie involves modeling a new line of streetwear called Asphalt Royalty.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 14 June 2023
Online grocery price increases decelerated for the eighth consecutive month, but remain high rising 8.2% in May from a year ago, according to Adobe index which is modeled after the government’s CPI and uses data from 85% of the top 100 internet retailers in its network.
—Maria Halkias, Dallas News, 13 June 2023
The National Association of School Psychologists recommends teachers keep classrooms in order by helping kids manage their behavior in ways that model and reinforce positive behaviors and involve students’ families.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 12 June 2023
Now, by modeling the dynamics of lava flows, Suckale and her colleagues have offered up another explanation: The abrupt transition could be triggered by a chaotic churn within the flood of molten rock, the team reported last month in Geophysical Research Letters.
—Bymaya Wei-haas, science.org, 9 June 2023
Adjective
His low-maintenance mentality and consistent approach helped the Spurs be the model NBA franchise for almost 20 years.
—Andrew Birkle, Detroit Free Press, 16 May 2023
The firm has also previously sued the state education department because its model ethnic studies curriculum contained an affirmation that the firm claimed constituted an Aztec prayer.
—Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2023
The model minority myth, Thanh notes, paints AAPI people as never in need of assistance.
—Thuc Doan Nguyen, refinery29.com, 4 May 2023
In a day and age when too many are cynical about public service, McColgan was the model public servant, and, even rarer, an actual scholar and gentleman.
—Kevin Cullen, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Apr. 2023
Below, more from Longendyke on the secrets to her model-esque skin, her signature pose, and how modeling prompted her to accept her freckles.
—ELLE, 15 Mar. 2023
For nearly half a century, Portland was lauded as a model American metropolis, thanks to public and private initiatives, its waterfront and its proximity to mountains and coast.
—Jenny Jarvie, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Feb. 2023
By all accounts, Jerving was a model public servant.
—Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2023
President Biden praised retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer as a model public servant Thursday and reaffirmed his commitment to nominate a Black woman to fill his seat, pledging to make an announcement before the end of February.
—Sabrina Siddiqui, WSJ, 27 Jan. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'model.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle French modelle, from Old Italian modello, from Vulgar Latin *modellus, from Latin modulus small measure, from modus
First Known Use
Noun
1570, in the meaning defined at sense 14
Verb
1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4
Adjective
1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing model
Dictionary Entries Near model
Cite this Entry
“Model.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/model. Accessed 20 Jun. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
model
1 of 3 noun
mod·el
ˈmäd-ᵊl
1
a
: a small but exact copy of something
a ship model
b
: a pattern or figure of something to be made
clay models for a statue
2
: a person who sets a good example
a model of politeness
3
a
: a person or thing that serves as an artist's pattern
especially
: a person who poses for an artist or photographer
b
: a person who wears in the presence of customers garments that are for sale or who poses for ads for merchandise (as clothes)
4
: type entry 1 sense 2b, kind
our car is a late model
5
a
: a description or construction used to help form a picture of something (as an atom) that cannot be seen directly
a model of a DNA molecule
b
: a computer simulation
climate models
model
3 of 3 adjective1
: serving as or worthy of being a pattern
a model student
2
: being a miniature copy of something
a model airplane
Medical Definition
model
1 of 2 noun
mod·el
ˈmäd-ᵊl
1
a
: a pattern of something to be made : a cast of a tooth or oral cavity
2
: something (as a similar object or a construct) used to help visualize or explore something else (as the living human body) that cannot be directly observed or experimented on see animal model
3
: a system of postulates, data, and inferences presented as a mathematical description of an entity or state of affairs
model
2 of 2 transitive verb
modeled or modelled; modeling or modelling
ˈmäd-liŋ, -ᵊl-iŋ
: to produce (as by computer) a representation or simulation of
More from Merriam-Webster on model
Nglish: Translation of model for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of model for Arabic Speakers
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