Synonym Chooser

How does the noun replica differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of replica are copy, duplicate, facsimile, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

When would copy be a good substitute for replica?

The words copy and replica can be used in similar contexts, but copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When is duplicate a more appropriate choice than replica?

The synonyms duplicate and replica are sometimes interchangeable, but duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When could facsimile be used to replace replica?

While the synonyms facsimile and replica are close in meaning, facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would reproduction be a reasonable alternative to replica?

In some situations, the words reproduction and replica are roughly equivalent. However, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

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 replica In the 1970s, a model builder named Jack Hill created a scaled replica of Earhart’s Vega, with a wingspan of 41 inches. Laurie Gwen Shapiro, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 July 2025 In one extreme case, SAFE even designed a private replica of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit—complete with harbor and tunnel—for a client’s children to race 100+ mph electric karts underground. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 29 July 2025 Between historical buildings, replica buildings, and museum exhibits, there are dozens of access points into the past at Manatee Village Historical Park. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 26 July 2025 The new alternate helmet is also available in mini, replica, and authentic form. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for replica
Recent Examples of Synonyms for replica
Noun
  • Keeping the moon in the background of an image with another subject is often much more powerful than an image of just the moon.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • In the real world, a user creating an image with a watermarked AI image-generator wouldn’t receive two images—one with watermark, and one without—for comparison.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Terms of the deal were not announced, but Taco vs. Burrito (which retails for $20 on Amazon) has sold 1.5 million copies life to date.
    Chris Morris, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The full copy of the letter with signatories available at this link.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The Ruck twins, Liam and Markus, who play for the reigning WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, have also stood out, as has 2027 draft-eligible defenseman Landon DuPont. Team USA Names to Note The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is an interesting tournament for the Americans.
    Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The actress is reportedly planning to relocate as soon as her twins, who are now 17, turn 18.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The gun, a reproduction 1873 single-action army revolver, fired a live round inadvertently loaded by Hannah Gutierrez, the production's weapons handler.
    REUTERS, USA Today, 31 July 2025
  • At worst, these identical results amount to an insidious reproduction of the tropes and stereotypes present in the source text, as has been well documented by OpenAI’s own researchers.
    Piers Gelly July 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Scientists clone Ripley, along with the Xenomorph Queen embryo inside her, to study the aliens.
    Maddie Garfinkle, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Both De Los Santos and Yom said research data on AI voice clones will likely follow a similar path, eventually proving that a fully functioning, natural-sounding voice can lead to not only a better life, but a longer one.
    April Dembosky, NPR, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Glock pistols and its imitations lend themselves to these modifications and the vulnerability applies to most models.
    Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Aug. 2025
  • There's support for NVIDIA's Deep Reinforcement Learning environment, as well as imitation learning, for easy access to Isaac Gym training.
    Paul Ridden July 25, New Atlas, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Serafin pitches Qualtrics as using technology to solve a problem technology created, saying companies now struggle to piece together a coherent picture of their customers across their call centers, apps, websites, text messages, and social media accounts.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The Grammy winner also shared a few pictures from the event, including a group photo of herself and the fans smiling at the camera as well as a snap of everyone dancing to the unreleased music.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But messy or siloed data, like duplicate records, inconsistent formats or unlabeled notes, can compromise performance.
    Albert Lie, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • With her duplicates, Barron turns each Labubu into a unique piece of art, using them as canvases for creative expression.
    Jordan Greene, People.com, 24 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Replica.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/replica. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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