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.
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Noun
The space will be anchored by a center table, designed to bring brands to life through interactive storytelling and sampling, starting with Lake & Skye’s premium fragrances. — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026 According to poll samplings by the Sentinel Star during Tuesday’s voting, McCollum appeared to benefit from the strong showing by Reagan. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 Tian took the photo during his biodiversity research on the seaway, using environmental DNA sampling and drone surveys to monitor the ecosystem’s health, without disturbing any of the resident wildlife. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026 Estimates vary depending on how the sampling is done, since this is a genuinely difficult thing to measure, but the credible ranges all sit in the trillions. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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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
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