sampling

noun

sam·​pling ˈsam-pliŋ 

for senses 1 & 3

-p(ə-)liŋ 

1

: the act, process, or technique of selecting a suitable sample

specifically : the act, process, or technique of selecting a representative part of a population for the purpose of determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population

2

: a small part selected as a sample for inspection or analysis

ask a sampling of people which candidate they favor

3

: the introduction or promotion of a product by distributing trial packages of it

Synonyms

• cross section
• sample
• sampler
• selection
• slice

Examples of sampling in a Sentence

The reporter asked a sampling of people about their eating habits.

a sampling of the menu's entrées

We were given a sampling of the food.

The band does a lot of sampling.

Recent Examples on the Web

For a sampling of sounds, look no further than Frequency Festival, an annual celebration of the musical avant-garde. —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025

There’s everything from progressive tastings using a trolley and those offering a sampling of Northeast Florida’s best restaurants, intimate learning experiences, family-friendly events like a Sunday Jazz Mother’s Day Brunch, and the fan-favorite barbecue event, Smoke On The Walk. —Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025

This is the kind of film that feels interchangeable with the streamer’s originals, and often gets an initial sampling. —Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire, 3 Feb. 2025

Below, a sampling of Yenor’s finest air balloon thoughts. —Pat Beall, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sampling

• chorionic villus sampling

Rhymes for sampling

• trampling
• resampling
• subsampling

Medical Definition

sampling

noun

sam·​pling ˈsam-pliŋ 

1

: the act, process, or technique of selecting a suitable sample

specifically : the act, process, or technique of selecting a representative part of a population for the purpose of determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population

2

: sample

obtain a sampling of urine