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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of artificial
Set an artificial bird or two on the nest’s edge.
—
Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
Using artificial stems means that this decoration will last long after Valentine's Day.
—Nomita Vaish-Taylor, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Crime 101 feels too contrived and artificial to be convincing.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Culleton said that he is being held in a large, overcrowded room with more than 70 other men and sleeping under constant artificial lighting in cold and damp conditions.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
Using artificial stems means that this decoration will last long after Valentine's Day.
—Nomita Vaish-Taylor, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Crime 101 feels too contrived and artificial to be convincing.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Culleton said that he is being held in a large, overcrowded room with more than 70 other men and sleeping under constant artificial lighting in cold and damp conditions.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artificial
Adjective
-
This tends to bento-box subjects in unnatural ways.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Too-deep application can scar, alter texture, or cause pigment migration, color shifts, and an unnatural look over time.—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The agency allegedly used Bank of America accounts to lure young women with fake modeling offers, while financial records suggest the bank was aware of these suspicious connections, according to plaintiff’s claims.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Some guests got very into it—one adopted a fake British accent for the duration.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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My favorite aspect of the hoody is the strategic mix of materials—breathable fleece under my arms and panels made from synthetic insulation packed between two layers of air-permeable face fabric on my chest, back, and top of my arms.—
Jakob Schiller,
Outside,
16 Feb. 2026
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In India, for example, synthetic rubber consumption recently grew by 15–20% per year, driving isoprene demand.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
As Derya and Aziz’s hypocrisies, as upper-class intellectuals, are increasingly brought to the fore, Namal and Biçer’s conversational performances grow haggard and strained.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Gregg Phillips, an associate administrator at FEMA, said at a hearing this week that its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.—
Mary Clare Jalonick,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In another twist late Saturday night, the Canadian women's team was accused by match officials of the same double-touch violation, this time by veteran skip Rachel Homan in the first end against Switzerland.—
STEVE DOUGLAS,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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The home crowd favorite is coming back from tearing her ACL and suffering a double leg break in April of last year, only returning to competition last month ahead of the Olympics.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lined up for a July launch is the Adidas Adimule in a black-and-white faux fur cow print.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
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It's crafted from a PP cotton, soft faux-fur corduroy material.—
Kyley Warren,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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During the test, teams will run through the full range of operations that would take place on launch day, including loading the SLS rocket with 700,000 gallons cryogenic liquid propellant that is later drained and conducting a mock countdown.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Kids will have a blast at the Seaport Museum next door, especially when exploring the mock-village section and tall-mast whaling ship.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
-
The pop of color offers a shimmer-free (rare!) means of warming up a wedding look and works equally well at lip level.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Artificial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artificial. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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