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Definition of naturalnext
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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

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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

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

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

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natural

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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
But there is a natural Inclination in Mankind to kingly Government. Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Crush the plant to release its oils and rub it on your skin for a natural repellant. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
Noun
Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur A new film from Russian auteur Andrey Zvyagintsev, coming nearly a decade after 2017’s Loveless — winner of the Cannes Jury Prize — would seem a natural for the 2026 competition. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026 That’s a natural for the company that owns Nickelodeon, which remains a content engine for the company even as the linear cable business slides. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for natural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural
Adjective
  • There are other realistic podium contenders worth mentioning.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • Most independent observers have suggested that a 12- to 18-month timeline is probably the most realistic for New Glenn’s return to flight.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • Their patients include children who have seizure disorders, congenital heart diseases that require surgery, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and leukemia, as well as others who need feeding tubes and ventilators to treat their illnesses, according to their court declarations.
    Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 25 June 2026
  • Roughly one-third of congenital heart defects in children with Down syndrome resolve naturally, and many need only a minor intervention.
    Michelle Sie Whitten, STAT, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • The organizations seeing the greatest returns are leveraging platforms that connect genotype to phenotype to real-world outcomes, linking biological signal to clinical context to economic value.
    Lisa Gurry, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The jet-setting pair have two biological daughters, 4-year-old Bella (whose twin brother died at childbirth) and 8-year-old Alana.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • Andrew Warden, vice president of marketing at Adobe, noted that brands need to adapt to the fact that AI is now an intrinsic part of the default search experience.
    Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
  • Brand sentiment, the real measure of a creator's intrinsic value, the strength of their network and how much their audience genuinely trusts them.
    Taylor Reilly, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • Earlier that day, Contreras had broken down in tears while talking about the deadly earthquakes that devastated his native Venezuela.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Once a month, Alejandro de Lucia, 62, a Cuban native living in Long Island, launches the Supermarket23 app and selects meats, rice and other items to send to his in-laws in Cojimar, who are in their 80s.
    Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • Mid-range uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) can suppress, distract, saturate, and expose Russian air defenses.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • There's also casual Italian fare at Bottega; castaway lunches at Drift, set on the uninhabited island of Jehunuhura; and Scoops for smoothies and free ice-cream cones.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • The family of a 26-year-old man who was shot and killed in Fort Worth last week remembers his bright smile and genuine laugh.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026
  • The film, based on Thomas Perry’s novel Strip, wears its influences — ranging from Elmore Leonard to Carl Hiaasen to Quentin Tarantino — heavily, without the genuine wit of many of its predecessors.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Jim Campbell, chief legal counsel for ADF, pointed to Cross’s alleged experience as one of the human costs behind the legal fight.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • At the center of it all is Brent Charles’ sinewy Caius Martius Coriolanus, who runs through the play like a human scythe.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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