Synonym Chooser

How does the noun facsimile differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of facsimile are copy, duplicate, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

When is it sensible to use copy instead of facsimile?

In some situations, the words copy and facsimile are roughly equivalent. However, copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When can duplicate be used instead of facsimile?

The synonyms duplicate and facsimile are sometimes interchangeable, but duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When might replica be a better fit than facsimile?

Although the words replica and facsimile have much in common, replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

In what contexts can reproduction take the place of facsimile?

While in some cases nearly identical to facsimile, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of facsimile Her facsimile of Maurizio Cattelan’s $6 million banana taped to a wall won a company prize at the Met. Air Mail, 26 Apr. 2025 French Bloom Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs, $59 Floral, balanced, a pleasant facsimile of blanc de blancs. Eric Asimov, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Her presence here in this bar, a facsimile of every bar Laura had frequented in her twenties, served as a portal back to a period Laura could remember but no longer touch; the scenery was familiarly arranged, but the dreams, sensations, and illusions had vanished. Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 Director Adam Bhala Lough, frustrated in his attempts to interview the real Altman, chats with a digital facsimile of the tech mogul instead. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for facsimile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facsimile
Noun
  • Its rebirth began as a digital model in The Golf Club video game and was brought to life in the sandy soil of central Wisconsin—now a near-exact replica.
    Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • In collaboration with The Intel Lab, Orion Intel created a 3D replica of the plant.
    Jeff Goertzen, Oc Register, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • Luminate reports that during the most recent tracking period — which is when people learned of Wilson’s passing — the song sold just under 4,200 copies.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Selling 95,000 copies of DESIRE: UNLEASH in the U.S., the boy band also scored a No. 3 debut on the Billboard 200, marking its eighth entry on the chart and its fifth top 10 album.
    Stephen Daw, Billboard, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • Fordow, Iran's underground nuclear enrichment site, was pictured in satellite images showing from a bird's-eye view that the strike had obliterated some structures at the site.
    Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2025
  • This infographic with satellite image from Planet Labs PBC from March 19, 2025, showing the Fordow nuclear site, in Iran.
    Carlo Versano Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • The drivers are housed in an acoustic chamber that is purpose-built to optimize human voice reproduction so it’s suited to vocals, podcasts, audiobooks and expressive music.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • Neem oil may also interfere with insect reproduction.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 June 2025
Noun
  • Map The Workflow With A Digital Twin Create a digital twin of your agency’s workflow before new hires start.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • The Destination Earth digital twins are replicas of Earth systems used to monitor, simulate and predict the interaction between natural phenomena and human activities.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • A week filled with fun videos of puppies trying to master the stairs and a friendly doggy neighbor making his rounds brightened our social media timelines, but a few of our readers' pet videos and pictures stood out.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
  • Paola Jaramillo, the co-founder and executive director of Enlace Latino NC, a nonprofit Spanish-language digital news outlet covering North Carolina, painted a similar picture.
    Graciela Mochkofsky, New Yorker, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • The appeal is built on two ideas: 1) the amazing feat of using prehistoric DNA to clone new dinosaurs; and 2) the terrifying prospect of those dinosaurs behaving like, well, dinosaurs (namely the carnivorous ones).
    Will Harris, EW.com, 27 June 2025
  • Under the pressures of fame and parasocial demands, pop star Poppy relinquishes control to Aura, an AI clone trained on her past content.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • The first one featured a portrait of President Harry Truman as man of the year for his decision to bomb Japan.
    Carol Sutton Lewis, Scientific American, 18 June 2025
  • Highlighting the brand’s first Aqua Terra timepiece in 30mm, the campaign features portraits of Ariana DeBose, Ashley Graham, Tems, Danielle Marsha, Marisa Abela and Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, the eldest daughter of Nicole Kidman and country singer Keith Urban.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Facsimile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facsimile. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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