Exemplary means serving as an outstanding example that others should follow or admire. When a student shows exemplary behavior, they're doing exactly what they should be doing, and doing it so well that teachers might point them out as a model. An exemplary piece of homework is thoughtful, well-organized, shows real effort, and goes beyond simply completing the assignment.

It means being such a good example that you set the standard. A firefighter might receive a medal for exemplary courage. A scientist might publish exemplary research that other researchers study to learn how good work should be done. An athlete might demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship by helping an injured opponent.

Notice that exemplary suggests excellence that goes beyond meeting basic requirements. It means showing such high quality that your work becomes worth copying. When your work is exemplary, you've done something worth copying. If a teacher calls your essay exemplary, they mean it shows exactly the kind of thinking and writing they hope to see from everyone. The word carries a sense of setting a high bar, one that others will try to reach.