Definition
A paradigm is the frame around a picture of the world: the set of assumptions, methods, and examples that a community treats as normal. In science, a paradigm tells researchers which questions are worth asking — until anomalies pile up and a 'paradigm shift' replaces the frame itself, a usage made famous by the historian of science Thomas Kuhn. More loosely, any dominant model can be a paradigm: remote work as a new paradigm of employment, for instance.
Examples
- Einstein's relativity forced physicists to abandon the Newtonian paradigm.
- Streaming did not just change music sales; it created an entirely new paradigm for the industry.
- Her research challenges the dominant paradigm in language learning.
Synonyms
model · framework · pattern · archetype · worldview
In TOEFL & IELTS
TOEFL reading passages on the history of science lean heavily on 'paradigm' and 'paradigm shift', often testing whether you understand it as 'prevailing framework' rather than just 'example'. In IELTS essays, use it sparingly and precisely — 'a new paradigm' impresses only when the change you describe really is structural, not a minor trend.