1
as in unnatural
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
their artificial smiles did not make us feel very welcome
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
the familiar sight of the award winner accepting the artificial congratulations of the other nominees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
artificial fruit made from wax
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in nonnatural
produced by humans rather than natural processes
I find that artificial sweeteners often have an odd aftertaste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of artificial
Overlooking the expansive waters of one of the largest artificial lakes in the eastern United States, the site offers a range of stays, from vintage and modern glampers to geodesic domes and design-forward tiny homes.
—
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
World Cup pitch preparations included removing the artificial Matrix turf, used for NFL games, and taking out several lower-level suites, since a soccer pitch is wider than a football field.
—Amanda McCoy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Despite Nikki's increasingly erratic and terrifying behavior, their friends' concerns, and his own realization that her affection is totally artificial, Bear doesn't seem to care that his dream relationship is not only fake, but highly abusive.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 May 2026
This Jalapeño Cheddar loaf is pre-sliced and made with real Cheddar cheese, with no artificial flavors or colors.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
World Cup pitch preparations included removing the artificial Matrix turf, used for NFL games, and taking out several lower-level suites, since a soccer pitch is wider than a football field.
—Amanda McCoy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Despite Nikki's increasingly erratic and terrifying behavior, their friends' concerns, and his own realization that her affection is totally artificial, Bear doesn't seem to care that his dream relationship is not only fake, but highly abusive.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 May 2026
This Jalapeño Cheddar loaf is pre-sliced and made with real Cheddar cheese, with no artificial flavors or colors.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artificial
Adjective
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Over the course of Obsession's 108-minute runtime, Nikki transforms into an self-destructive, possessive, and dangerously violent shadow of her former self as Bear's spell forces her to fixate solely on her unnatural devotion to him—no matter the cost.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
15 May 2026
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As real trees begin to bloom outside, photographer Widline Cadet picks through two playfully oversized bouquets of positively unnatural plastic flowers.—
Elly Fishman,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The bot-detection firm Cyabra analyzed seven days of activity around the ad and determined that 15 percent of the TikTok accounts commenting on it were fake but had created a disproportionately large percentage of the uproar.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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To return the favor, Graham proposes a fake dating scheme with Wells to make her crush, singer Justin Kohl (Josh Heuston), jealous.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
This backward-looking approach fails entirely against novel attack vectors like synthetic identity creation and deepfake social engineering.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Use natural dish scrubbers made from cellulose, coconut coir or loofah instead of synthetic sponges.—
Ryan Brennan
May 11,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
At the same time, reductions in federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are expected to increase food insecurity among older adults, placing even more pressure on already strained systems.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The Thunder are 8-0 in the postseason despite their second-best player Jalen Williams missing the entirety of the playoffs with a strained hamstring.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
With two outs already recorded in the inning, Rodón surrendered a double to Carson Benge before issuing walks to Bo Bichette and Juan Soto.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2026
-
Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson took a double minor for high-sticking, and Jason Zucker scored on the power play to get the Sabres back within one going into the first intermission.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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According to Briggs, after an officer took off his shirt in a faux striptease during a dance-off for a raffle prize, Kennedy put dollar bills in the officer’s pockets then took a bow — which Briggs said elicited cheers.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
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The interior wipes clean, in the event of spills during transit, and the exterior is composed of a chic faux leather that’s waterproof and durable.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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The sprawling 85-acre facility used to train Atlanta’s police and firefighters includes a mock gas station, a train track with several rail cars, a firehouse, a horse stable, a seven-story burn tower and a 28-lane indoor shooting range.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
12 May 2026
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Adding the appropriate gothic touch to this Debra Hill production are John Lloyd’s dripping-with-mock-Victorian-splendor sets and John Morris’ delightfully tongue-in-cheek score.—
Kirk Ellis,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.—
Caroline Reilly,
Forbes.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Artificial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artificial. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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