natural

adjective

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nat·u·ral | \ ˈna-chə-rəl

, ˈnach-rəl \

Definition of natural

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : based on an inherent sense of right and wrong natural justice

2a : being in accordance with or determined by nature natural impulses

b : having or constituting a classification based on features existing in nature

3a(1) : begotten as distinguished from adopted their natural son also : legitimate

(2) : being a relation by actual consanguinity as distinguished from adoption natural parents

b : illegitimate a natural child

4 : having an essential relation with someone or something : following from the nature of the one in question his guilt is a natural deduction from the evidence

5 : implanted or being as if implanted by nature : seemingly inborn a natural talent for art

6 : of or relating to nature as an object of study and research natural observations

7 : having a specified character by nature a natural athlete a natural leader

8a : occurring in conformity with the ordinary course of nature : not marvelous or supernatural natural causes died a natural death

b : formulated by human reason alone rather than revelation natural religion natural rights

c : having a normal or usual character events followed their natural course

9 : possessing or exhibiting the higher qualities (such as kindliness and affection) of human nature a noble … brother … ever most kind and natural— William Shakespeare

10a : growing without human care also : not cultivated natural prairie unbroken by the plow

b : existing in or produced by nature : not artificial natural turf natural curiosities

c : relating to or being natural food

11a : being in a state of nature without spiritual enlightenment : unregenerate natural man

b : living in or as if in a state of nature untouched by the influences of civilization and society

12a : having a physical or real existence as contrasted with one that is spiritual, intellectual, or fictitious a corporation is a legal but not a natural person

b : of, relating to, or operating in the physical as opposed to the spiritual world natural laws describe phenomena of the physical universe

13a : closely resembling an original : true to nature

b : marked by easy simplicity and freedom from artificiality, affectation, or constraint Successful people are genuine and natural rather than synthetic and imitative.— Gilbert Seldes

c : having a form or appearance found in nature natural hair

14a : having neither flats nor sharps the natural scale of C major

b : being neither sharp nor flat natural musical notes

c : having the pitch modified by the natural sign

15 : of an off-white or beige color

natural

noun

Definition of natural (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : one born without the usual powers of reason and understanding

2a : a sign ♮ placed on any degree of the musical staff to nullify the effect of a preceding sharp or flat

b : a note or tone affected by the natural sign

3 : a result or combination that immediately wins the stake in a game: such as

a : a throw of 7 or 11 on the first cast in craps

b : blackjack sense 1b

4a : one having natural skills, talents, or abilities

b : something that is likely to become an immediate success

c : one that is obviously suitable for a specific purpose

5 : afro

Other Words from natural Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about natural

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Choose the Right Synonym for natural

Adjective

natural, ingenuous, naive, unsophisticated, artless mean free from pretension or calculation. natural implies lacking artificiality and self-consciousness and having a spontaneousness suggesting the natural rather than the man-made world. her unaffected, natural manner ingenuous implies inability to disguise or conceal one's feelings or intentions. the ingenuous enthusiasm of children naive suggests lack of worldly wisdom often connoting credulousness and unchecked innocence. politically naive unsophisticated implies a lack of experience and training necessary for social ease and adroitness. unsophisticated adolescents artless suggests a naturalness resulting from unawareness of the effect one is producing on others. artless charm

synonyms see in addition regular

Examples of natural in a Sentence

Adjective furniture made of natural materials The river forms a natural boundary between the two countries. natural foods like whole grain bread and fresh vegetables Gray hair is one of the natural consequences of getting older. a natural increase in the population the natural course of the disease It's perfectly natural to feel nervous before a test. Noun European explorers had a tendency to view the nonwhite peoples they encountered as uncivilized naturals.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The 25-year-old spent the offseason not only trying to transform his body to be a little more injury-resistant but transforming his mind to learn how to deal with the natural highs and lows of an NFL season. — Jim Ayello, The Indianapolis Star, "Colts: Get ready to see more Tyquan Lewis after bye week," 21 Oct. 2020 Then Duke tried her hand at working with a custom seamstress shop, but that wasn't a natural fit. — Alison Medley, Houston Chronicle, "How one costume designer reinvented her career during the pandemic," 21 Oct. 2020 Washington County, which includes suburbs of Pittsburgh and has been a hub for the natural-gas industry, is one of a ring of southwest Pennsylvania counties that Mr. Trump carried by wide margins four years ago. — Kris Maher And Alexa Corse, WSJ, "Early Voting in Pennsylvania: In an Elections Office as Voters Stream In, Phone Lines Ring," 21 Oct. 2020 Made from organic wool, these chemical- and synthetic-free wool dryer balls are also gentle on sensitive skin and great for natural fabric softening, too. — Shayna Murphy, USA TODAY, "45 weird but practical gifts people will actually use," 21 Oct. 2020 Ferris wheel cabins offer the sort of natural social distancing that restaurants around the world have been trying to create with tents, dividers, pop-up igloos, and other creative approaches. — Meena Thiruvengadam, Travel + Leisure, "You Can Now Enjoy a Michelin-starred Meal From a Ferris Wheel Overlooking Budapest," 21 Oct. 2020 Golf, excluding the cart, is a natural for social distancing. — Rod Stafford Hagwood, sun-sentinel.com, "Pandemic plush: 6 luxuries people are spending big bucks on during COVID-19," 16 Oct. 2020 Their conversation feels genuine, and the dialogue is natural, sincere and funny. — Jake Coyle, Star Tribune, "Review: In 'S---house,' a college coming-of-age comedy," 13 Oct. 2020 More full brows can be natural, androgynous, and tough. — Jihan Forbes, Allure, "How to Glue Down Your Brows Like a Pro," 7 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Collaborating with the award-winning Reynolds, who was recently named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, seems like a natural. — Kaitlyn Greenidge, New York Times, "Can You Dismantle White Supremacy With Words?," 6 Mar. 2020 The first two are naturals; the third is a stretch. — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, "52 Weeks of Pizza: Pizza restaurant Trilogy Pizza & Wine Bistro’s deep dish does Chicago proud in San Antonio," 5 June 2020 As with cooking, there are some who are naturals at dishwashing and others who, um, need a little help. — Los Angeles Times, "The best last-minute Mother’s Day gift? Do the dishes (and do them well)," 9 May 2020 From locks to weaves, to braids, wigs, naturals and blowouts, for some black women hair is a form of expression and cultural identity. — Kyla Smith, Detroit Free Press, "Black hairstylists in metro Detroit and their clients prepare for a new normal," 17 May 2020 The naturals, of course, aren’t tied to a 9-foot leader and however many feet of PVC fly line. — Morgan Lyle, Field & Stream, "10 Things to Know Before Your First Season of Flyfishing," 11 May 2020 Steam treatments are popular among naturals, and for good reason. — Bianca Lambert, SELF, "How to Prevent Hair Breakage and Keep Your Natural Hair Moisturized When You Can’t Go to Your Stylist," 27 Apr. 2020 They, too, were called, looking like naturals and clearly having been put through something similar before. — SI.com, "Watch: De Ligt, Buffon, Rabiot, Higuain Sing Initiation Songs for Juventus Teammates," 24 July 2019 Coneflowers are naturals for the meadow or prairie garden, where their showy blooms add welcome color. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "A Quick Guide to Growing Stunning Black-Eyed Susans and Coneflowers," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'natural.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.