man-made

adjective

ˈman-ˈmād How to pronounce man-made (audio)
-ˌmād
Synonyms of man-madenext
: manufactured, created, or constructed by human beings
specifically : synthetic
man-made fibers

Examples of man-made in a Sentence

man-made diamonds that were really just glass the houses in the new development are built around a man-made lake
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Satellite images from Vantor, a commercial firm that specializes in geospatial data, show the changes in the two communities over the first year of recovery — some man-made, some the result of nature. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026 At the 2025 Met Gala, Vogue declared that boobs are back—a truth that would resonate throughout the year, as heaving bosoms (both natural and man-made) appeared on red carpets everywhere. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026 Whereas quartz countertops are man-made, granite is a naturally occurring stone, quarried from the earth, then cut and polished into the countertop material so many know and love. Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025 In fact, almost every inch of the state’s barrier island beaches is now man-made. Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for man-made

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of man-made was in 1615

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Cite this Entry

“Man-made.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/man-made. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

man-made

adjective
ˈman-ˈmād
: made by people rather than nature
man-made satellites
especially : synthetic entry 1 sense 2
man-made fibers

More from Merriam-Webster on man-made

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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