paradigm

noun

par·a·digm ˈper-ə-ˌdīm

ˈpa-rə-,

also -ˌdim

Synonyms of paradigm next

: example, pattern

especially : an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype

… regard science as the paradigm of true knowledge. —

G. C. J. Midgley

: an example of a conjugation or declension showing a word in all its inflectional forms

: a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated

the Freudian paradigm of psychoanalysis

broadly : a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind

paradigmatic

ˌper-ə-dig-ˈma-tik

ˌpa-rə-

adjective

paradigmatically

ˌper-ə-dig-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē

ˌpa-rə-

adverb

Did you know?

Paradigm comes from the Greek verb paradeiknynai, meaning “to show side by side.” It has been used in English to mean “example” or “pattern” since the 15th century. There is debate, however, about what kind of example qualifies as a paradigm. Some people say it’s a typical example, while others insist it must be an outstanding or perfect example. The scientific community has added to the confusion by using paradigm to mean “a theoretical framework,” a sense popularized by American scientist Thomas S. Kuhn in the second edition of his influential book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, published in 1970. Some usage commentators now advise avoiding the term entirely on the grounds that it is overused, but we contend that it can sometimes make a useful, conversation-enriching replacement for idea, theory, or concept, as in “an article about sandwiches that shifts the paradigm by including hot dogs.”

Examples of paradigm in a Sentence

And the paradigm of a thing to be philosophical about is death. —

Jim Holt, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 2009

Such problems drive home a critical flaw in the paradigm of energy independence—namely, that energy isn't a zero-sum game anymore. —

Paul Roberts, Mother Jones, May/June 2008

That the biomedical paradigm of single cause and single disease was a chimera was well understood by even its most vigorous advocates. —

Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007

Her recent book provides us with a new paradigm for modern biography. the Freudian paradigm of psychoanalysis a new study that challenges the current evolutionary paradigm

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

There is a mindset shift involved in AI in general, and in the assistant or chatbot paradigm, and there is yet another mindset shift required for agentic use. —

John Werner, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Something in your current paradigm might suddenly shift mid-month to allow in new kinds of experiences, fresh perspectives, and radical awakenings in your philosophical orientation toward the world. —

Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2024 Share [Findings] Researchers proposed replacing the paradigm of extinction with that of evanescence. —

Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 In the leading through paradigm, the soul, heart, and mind of leadership are three dimensions in one. —

Kim B. Clark, jonathan R. Clark, erin E. Clark, Harvard Business Review, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paradigm