1
as in self
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others it was the grotesque nature of his stories that made them a challenge to get published in mainstream magazines her nature was such that lying was never an option for her the stoic nature of that family enables them to endure one calamity after another

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in wilderness
that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation needed to get out of the office and back to nature in order to clear his head

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in kind
a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common group together anything round: buttons, lids, coins, and other things of that nature

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5
6
as in universe
the whole body of things observed or assumed the belief that all of nature is controlled by an unseen Supreme Being

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word nature distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of nature are character, description, kind, sort, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

Where would character be a reasonable alternative to nature?

Although the words character and nature have much in common, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When is it sensible to use description instead of nature?

The synonyms description and nature are sometimes interchangeable, but description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When can kind be used instead of nature?

In some situations, the words kind and nature are roughly equivalent. However, kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When would sort be a good substitute for nature?

While the synonyms sort and nature are close in meaning, sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

In what contexts can type take the place of nature?

The words type and nature are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

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 nature Residents and local leaders have said that TCEQ misrepresented the nature of the intersection in a traffic study completed for the application. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025 Why not skip the clean-up altogether and look the other way while nature takes it course? Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025 Kesselring explained that her mission is to strengthen the dialogue between art and nature. Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025 These homes give families a respite from the exhaustive nature of caregiving a child with severe medical needs. Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nature
Noun
  • Russell Crowe plays Amorth, bringing his unique screen charisma in such a way that prevents the film from becoming too self-serious.
    Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Watch our natural selves in behind-the-scenes content, not just our serious stage presence.
    Billboard Korea, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Principal photography is currently underway with filming is taking place across the remote wilderness of Lapland, with additional photography scheduled in Southern Finland later this year.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Cast adrift in a frosty wilderness—a harrowing yet welcome departure, visually, from the Gothic shadows of Victor’s lair—the Creature experiences a dollop of decency, courtesy of a blind old farmer (a wonderful David Bradley), but also a deluge of misery, courtesy of everyone else.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In March 2023, the company launched a pilot production line in South Korea, the first of its kind, and began producing prototype solid-state batteries by the end of the year.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Those small victories brought hope, the kind that makes every extra day feel like a gift.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Similar to Rogan’s disposition to endorse pseudoscience and bad medical advice.
    Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The face is the same, but the conditions around the face — time of day, weather, background, the subject’s personal disposition — vary, and that changes the mood of every photo.
    Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Their language mimics the essence of things, evocations of items and experiences.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Although the codes are reinvented, the essence almost always remains the same.
    Tatiana Ojea, Glamour, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Playing sinister demon Bathsheba in The Conjuring universe isn't Joseph Bishara's only impressive talent.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Coppola and production designer Ziering will explore their creative partnership, the aesthetic and emotional storytelling that defines Coppola’s visual universe — from the suburban melancholy of Palo Alto to the luminous complexity of The Last Showgirl.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Xi’s predecessor Jiang Zemin, who served as president between 1993 and 2003, was known for his flamboyant personality, cosmopolitan flair and willingness to show off his language skills and interact with journalists.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The body paint looks as if it were done with skin-tight leggings, while the television personality appears to be topless under the paint.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Obsessed anglers who lived in Key West, and whose fiction sometimes gravitates toward horses, blood sports, and male protagonists with a masculine swagger counterbalanced by a certain reflective, existentialist temperament—the similarities between the two are obvious, yet go only so far.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Instead, attachment behaviors evolve with a child’s temperament, environment, and the parent–child relationship.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 28 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nature. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

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