Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective authentic contrast with its synonyms?

The words bona fide and genuine are common synonyms of authentic. While all three words mean "being actually and exactly what is claimed," authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original.

an authentic account of the perilous journey
an authentic reproduction
authentic Vietnamese cuisine

When can bona fide be used instead of authentic?

The words bona fide and authentic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bona fide implies good faith and sincerity of intention.

a bona fide offer for the stock

Where would genuine be a reasonable alternative to authentic?

The words genuine and authentic can be used in similar contexts, but genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated; it also connotes definite origin from a source.

genuine piety
genuine maple syrup
a genuine Mark Twain autograph

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 authentic To have Ben Younger directing and writing on the movie will create the most authentic experience possible for our audience, as Ben is a pilot in real life, as well as a brilliant filmmaker and screenwriter who creates movies with incredible tension, along with heart. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 7 May 2025 Gender-affirming care is all about creating a loving, supporting environment that allows the child or teen to be their authentic self. ​wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 May 2025 This domestic-terminal retreat impressed travelers with its authentic Brazilian cuisine, including vaca atolada (short-rib stew), chicken with okra, and guava with cheese. Paul Rubio, AFAR Media, 7 May 2025 Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: Being authentic, unique and weird will always be cool. Elias Leight, Billboard, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for authentic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authentic
Adjective
  • For all the offseason acquisitions meant to bolster the rotation, starting pitching has become a genuine concern for Los Angeles.
    Sam Blum, New York Times, 18 May 2025
  • Section meetings are open to members, guests and anyone with a genuine interest in UFOs/UAPs.
    Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 19 May 2025
  • To be more accurate, residents in 69 towns rolled out their trash bins every week and never thought about where it was headed and one town received it all.
    Sarah McCoy, Hartford Courant, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Comforting touch should be honest and clear – not ambiguous, not tentative and never assumed.
    Brian N. Chin, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
  • The African American mom, who is married to Polish Canadian Peter Gerber, told Newsweek that their approach to parenting is honest and intentional.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • The coloration of light in this image does not depict a true optical rainbow as would be seen by the naked eye, but rather a colored representation of different wavelengths of light that highlight the instrument's capability to analyze various components of the solar atmosphere.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 May 2025
  • Dylan’s life is full of true — meaning real — contradictions.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Thus, taken together, these statistics suggest outcomes that are mainly static or negative, including real harm in the form of suspensions.
    Christopher J. Ferguson, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2025
  • The ceasefire should last for 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance.
    Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 10 May 2025
Adjective
  • The exact path of the storm was not clear, Yack said.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2025
  • Whoever guesses the exact day and hour each bird takes their first flight wins an honorary certificate.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Take note of the major differences between your original job description and your current daily responsibilities.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • Mumford & Sons embarked on the original Railroad Revival Tour in 2011, with support from groups like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and Old Crow Medicine Show.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Authentic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authentic. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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