ersatz

adjective

ˈer-ˌsäts How to pronounce ersatz (audio)
Definition of ersatznext
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials like everything else the restaurant served, the whipped cream on the dessert was ersatz

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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 ersatz In He Bled Neon, the ersatz A24-ish motions are gone through and that’s about it, a limp endeavor to do something with a soggy, banal script. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026 The finished product was a combination of Gyllenhaal’s and Sher’s ideas and the ways the performers would make the ersatz world of the film feel real. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2026 At Disney, the ersatz world is the commodity that people are buying. — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026 This inexpensive ersatz version of pizza, which many in postwar Japan couldn’t afford, became a widespread snack sensation. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ersatz
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ersatz
  1. faux
  2. synthetic
  3. fake
  4. artificial
  5. simulated
Adjective
  • The titular protagonist of Isador Machete Cortez enjoys a bizarre history, originating in the first Spy Kids movie before taking center stage in a faux trailer created for Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s exploitation throwback, Grindhouse.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The chrome finish and low-profile faux leather seat lend a contemporary look to any kitchen.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • The modular design addresses a limitation in conventional synthetic biology.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • If your product generates synthetic text, images, audio or video that reaches the EU, that content has to be marked in a machine-readable format, with a short grace window to December 2, 2026 for systems already on the market.
    — Kuan Archer, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • The company behind a poll that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass touted as showing her with a double-digit lead in the mayoral race said the survey was entirely fake and part of a social experiment.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2026
  • There’s much more for fans of special effects to discover, from the practical snow used whenever feasible to the geysers of fake blood used to comedic effect.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • The expert becomes the manager of an artificial team, reviewing, redirecting, correcting, and sharpening outputs at speed.
    — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
  • What happens if artificial companionship becomes society’s default response to loneliness, dementia, disability, and a shortage of human care?
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • Furthermore, tests using simulated skin produced an even larger difference.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The five-day World Humanoid Robot Games, which began Saturday in Beijing, combine events modeled on human sports with those designed to test the robots in simulated factories, restaurants and ​offices and in emergency situations.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of simulated

Browse Nearby Words

errs
ersatz
erstwhile
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Cite this Entry

“Ersatz.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ersatz. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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