What does "paragon" mean?
A person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model for others.
Paragon
/ˈpæɹəɡən/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model for others.
- Grammar: paragon is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ideal, a per se, ace, acme.
- Useful contrasts: asshole, blighter, bounders.
- Usage evidence: By all accounts, Fr. Mulligan was a paragon of virtue.
How to use "paragon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "paragon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "paragon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "paragon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "paragon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "paragon" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ideal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "paragon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model for others.
"In the novel, Constanza is a paragon of virtue who would never compromise her reputation."
- 2 an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept wordnet
- 3 A companion; a match; an equal. obsolete
"Philoclea, who indeed had no paragon but her sister"
- 4 model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal wordnet
- 5 Comparison; competition. obsolete
"good by paragone / Of euill, may more notably be rad, / As white seemes fairer, macht with blacke attone […]."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The size of type between great primer and double pica, standardized as 20-point. dated
- 7 A flawless diamond of at least 100 carats.
"The "Koh-i-noor," or "Mountain of Light," is the eighth and smallest of these paragon diamonds (all diamonds weighing over a hundred carats are called Paragon); but it was originally the largest diamond ever known, weighing uncut 900 carats. . . this matchless gem of 900 carats which once belonged to the Great Mogul, and was the very paragon of paragons."
Verb
- 1 To compare; to parallel; to put in rivalry or emulation with.
"for want of a bigger , to paragon the little one with Artesia's length"
- 2 To compare with; to equal; to rival.
"Few or none could for Feature paragon with her, and much less excel her."
- 3 To serve as a model for; to surpass.
"He hath achieved a maid / That paragons description and wild fame."
- 4 To be equal; to hold comparison.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"By all accounts, Fr. Mulligan was a paragon of virtue."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "paragon"?
Common synonyms include: ideal, a per se, ace, acme, acmes, apotheosis.
How do you use "paragon" in a sentence?
By all accounts, Fr. Mulligan was a paragon of virtue.
How do you pronounce "paragon"?
Pronounced /ˈpæɹəɡən/.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman paragone, peragone, Middle French paragon, from Italian paragone (“comparison”) or Spanish parangón, from Byzantine Greek παρακόνη (parakónē, “whetstone”), from Ancient Greek παρακονάω (parakonáō, “I sharpen, whet”), from παρά (pará) + ἀκόνη (akónē, “whetstone”) (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”)).