sampling

1 of 2

noun

sam·​pling ˈsam-pliŋ How to pronounce sampling (audio)
for senses 1 & 3
-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce sampling (audio)
Synonyms of samplingnext
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

sampling

2 of 2

present participle of sample entry 2

Synonyms of sampling

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of sampling in a Sentence

Noun 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Warning signs will be posted throughout John Martin Reservoir State Park and the advisory will be updated as new sampling results become available, according to CPW. — Zach Hillstrom, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 The singles themselves function as a narrative arc rather than a random sampling of the album. — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 For a local sampling, follow the Franschhoek Artisan Food Route for the finest olives, cheeses, chocolates, charcuterie, and artisanal breads South Africa has to offer. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026 Bulk sampling has received permits, and extraction is underway. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sampling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1778, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sampling was in 1778

Phrases Containing sampling

Rhymes for sampling

See All Rhymes for sampling

Browse Nearby Words

sample space
sampling
sampling distribution
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sampling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sampling. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

sampling

noun
sam·​pling ˈsam-pliŋ How to pronounce sampling (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on sampling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sampling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All