natural 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in biological
being such by blood and not by adoption or marriage an adult adoptee who has decided to search for his natural parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining natural salts are not edible until they are washed and processed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
as in uninhabited
existing without human habitation or cultivation photographs of animals in their natural habitat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

7
8
9
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married had fathered an unknown number of natural children

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

10
11

natural

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective natural differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of natural are normal, regular, and typical. While all these words mean "being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average," natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

When is normal a more appropriate choice than natural?

Although the words normal and natural have much in common, normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

When is it sensible to use regular instead of natural?

The words regular and natural can be used in similar contexts, but regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

Where would typical be a reasonable alternative to natural?

In some situations, the words typical and natural are roughly equivalent. However, typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

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 natural
Adjective
Thanking guests for coming, wishing them a safe journey home, or announcing a final toast can encourage a natural exit. Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025 This is a natural outgrowth of Black Bear’s business. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
Although Michael Bowen was perhaps the first to talk it up, the notion of a large celebration was a complete natural for a neighborhood that was itself an ongoing celebration. Dennis McNally, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025 In 2024, Aaron Gates proved to be a natural for the position in his second season and eventually moved into the starting role past Denson. Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for natural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural
Adjective
  • In 2024, New York state banned realistic school lockdown drills, barring the use of props, actors, or simulations.
    Alana Semuels, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The common ingredients are incredible storytellers who are excited about trying to make a series that feels authentic and realistic, and maybe feels familiar, but in a way that also feels elevated and sophisticated.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Shaw has said he was reborn after the shooting and years later would become a born-again Christian.
    Jordan Blum, Houston Chronicle, 9 June 2019
  • In his mid-40s, Mr. Phillips had quietly become a born-again Christian after attending a Billy Graham rally.
    James R. Hagerty, WSJ, 18 Jan. 2019
Adjective
  • The book was created using a biological, sensual craft, as well as a cerebral one.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Organizers have also worked with local organizations to plant in the surrounding area to protect water sources and provide biological corridors throughout the Rancho La Merced property.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • And garnering this smallish corner of the market is intrinsic to the brand’s identity.
    Brett Berk, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2025
  • By comparing a Cepheid’s intrinsic luminosity with how bright the star appears in our sky, its distance can then be calculated.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Under the new terms of the license, Chevron was authorized to pay fees and royalties to Venezuela in oil but not in cash, effectively reducing Chevron’s crude exports from the country by half, according to Reuters.
    Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Jet fuels and other petroleum products are refined from crude oil, and contain chemicals that are toxic to humans when inhaled.
    Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Panic at being lost … The house looked uninhabited.
    Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
  • A little over a century later, reaching the world’s only uninhabited continent is a decidedly more glamorous affair.
    Brad Japhe, HollywoodReporter, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The real question is whether genuine mutual interest emerges from those preliminary conversations, many of which will take place in Las Vegas this week.
    Patrick McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • For most of the year, tennis watchers have been bemoaning the lack of a genuine threat to Sinner and Alcaraz, but here Fritz had the latter on the rack.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • During the demonstration, Archdeacon, dressed in a suit and tie, showed his fellow surgeons how to implant the plates and screws of the Pro into a model of human pelvic bones.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2025
  • No human journalist was harmed in this experiment.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on natural

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!