1
as in unnatural
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
their artificial smiles did not make us feel very welcome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 artificial
These rugs command attention and lend an artificial look and feel.
—
Cori Sears, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026
Gary Hershorn captured those same skyscrapers as the moon passed behind the spire of the Empire State Building from Union City, New Jersey, revealing more of the urban skyline as artificial and natural light teamed up to illuminate the night.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Maritime archaeologists from the Danish Viking Ship Museum found the ship, which was sunk during the the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, while surveying the site on the seabed of Copenhagen Harbor ahead of the construction of an artificial island.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
The first artificial satellite able to provide detailed photographs of the earth’s weather was fired into orbit early Friday.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Cori Sears, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026
Gary Hershorn captured those same skyscrapers as the moon passed behind the spire of the Empire State Building from Union City, New Jersey, revealing more of the urban skyline as artificial and natural light teamed up to illuminate the night.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Maritime archaeologists from the Danish Viking Ship Museum found the ship, which was sunk during the the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, while surveying the site on the seabed of Copenhagen Harbor ahead of the construction of an artificial island.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
The first artificial satellite able to provide detailed photographs of the earth’s weather was fired into orbit early Friday.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artificial
Adjective
-
However, as mattresses age and their materials break down, uneven sleeping surfaces and poor support can force your body into unnatural positions, often leading to stiff, sore or achy joints in the morning.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
His skating is quite unnatural, though.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Obama recently teamed up with NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards to squash their fake beef while promoting his Obama Presidential Center opening June 19 in Chicago.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The studio put an ad in The Boston Globe in December that looked like a fake engagement announcement.—
Saba Hamedy,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Do not use laundry detergents to clean synthetic rugs.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Kellogg’s won’t voluntarily drop synthetic colors as long as General Mills still uses them, for example.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fuel subsidies threaten to blow a hole in Jakarta’s already strained budget.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Data centers have sparked backlash from communities across the state that are worried about higher utility bills, strained power grids and water being diverted away from families to cool servers at massive data centers.—
Brendan Steinhauser,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One of the top pitching prospects in the organization, Klassen gave up an ambush double to Luke Raley on his first major league pitch but avoided damage in the first inning.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
His two-out hit in the seventh set the table for Schiek’s tying two-run double, with O’Leary scoring the equalizer.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Starter Kyle Freeland was nails, and Willi Castro and Mickey Moniak both slipped on the celebratory purple faux fur coat after launching home runs.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This pair in particular reminds me of a style Anne Hathaway stepped out in with its black faux-leather exterior and silver bit hardware.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of producing multiple mock drafts is to cover multiple possibilities, and with the ninth overall selection in the NFL Draft, there are several for the Chiefs.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
To see how the board has changed over time, check out Chris Perkins’ initial mock draft, David Furones’ post-combine mock and Perkins’ post-Waddle trade mock.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
