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
The first experiment featured an artificial flower placed above a pit in the floor so that there was insufficient space for a bee to hover to reach the flower.
—
Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
In the center, the team placed an artificial blue flower containing a sugary solution and let the bees explore it.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
In fact, one quite successful muskie artificial lure is fashioned of fur in the shape of a small muskrat, and has a black soft-plastic tail.
—Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Two adjacent mini-pitches with professional-grade artificial turf, a financial education learning center, and other space for community events, comprise Southie’s Visa Street Soccer USA Park – a hub of energy within the West Broadway Boston Housing Authority development.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
In the center, the team placed an artificial blue flower containing a sugary solution and let the bees explore it.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
In fact, one quite successful muskie artificial lure is fashioned of fur in the shape of a small muskrat, and has a black soft-plastic tail.
—Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Two adjacent mini-pitches with professional-grade artificial turf, a financial education learning center, and other space for community events, comprise Southie’s Visa Street Soccer USA Park – a hub of energy within the West Broadway Boston Housing Authority development.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for artificial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artificial
Adjective
-
According to Paul Penrose, a detective sergeant assigned to the case, Nickell’s body was found on its back, in an unnatural position.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2026
-
The robots that looked highly realistic but fell short, leaving an unnatural sensation that they could not be trusted.—
Praful Saklani,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
In the show, shy Briar U music major Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and cocky team captain Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) begin fake-dating to try to catch the attention of Hannah’s crush.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
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The schemes involve the use of fake court documents regarding false traffic and criminal infractions.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Without synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, researchers estimate farmers could only feed around half of the approximately eight billon people on the planet.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
1 June 2026
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In practice, Teng explained, this means customers will soon be able to create a synthetic version of certain stocks by converting them into a digital token on the company’s BNB blockchain.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, Hernández played in just one rehab game returning from a strained groin.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Large parts of its war effort are now unmanned, the robots, drones, and remotely piloted tanks giving it a sudden, albeit fragile, edge over a lumbering and strained Russian invader.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Frenetic winds robbed Wilyer Abreu of a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth, but Willson Contreras’ subsequent line drive made contact with the left-field wall for a game-tying RBI double and knocked Schlittler out of the game.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
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On Friday, tech stocks led a market bloodbath after the Labor Department’s monthly jobs report showed employers added a net 172,000 jobs last month, nearly double Wall Street forecasts.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone in the community center put down their faux salads to stare at us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
The store offers an extensive botanical shop and with a large assortment of both faux and dried botanicals for DIY arrangements or on-site styling help from an expert.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Lewis oversaw workshops with school kids himself, traveling to schools in his free time, staging mock trials and handing out copies of legal documents, like the Constitution.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Each year, a different brother played Paddy, lying in the coffin, where he was roasted by a series of mock eulogies.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 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 8 Jun. 2026.
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