duplicate 1 of 3

Definition of duplicatenext

duplicate

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noun

duplicate

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verb

1
as in to copy
to make an exact likeness of art students trying to duplicate paintings in the museum's collection as part of their training

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to replicate
to make or do again we were unable to duplicate the experiment in our own lab, so we're suspicious

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to double
to make twice as great or as many the recipe can be easily duplicated in order to feed a large family

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun duplicate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of duplicate are copy, facsimile, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When is it sensible to use copy instead of duplicate?

The meanings of copy and duplicate largely overlap; however, copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When can facsimile be used instead of duplicate?

Although the words facsimile and duplicate have much in common, facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would replica be a reasonable alternative to duplicate?

While the synonyms replica and duplicate are close in meaning, replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

When might reproduction be a better fit than duplicate?

While in some cases nearly identical to duplicate, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

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 duplicate
Adjective
The White House dismissed such concerns, pointing to isolated incidents of noncitizens being charged with illegally voting, and to examples of duplicate registrations, voters remaining on rolls after death and people stealing ballots to vote multiple times. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026 Some may see success in removing outdated accounts, duplicate entries or debts with incomplete documentation. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
The number of documents subject to review ballooned to roughly 6 million, including duplicates. Eric Tucker, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026 Even having a duplicate of a passport can be helpful if your primary passport is damaged, lost, or stolen. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Public universities oppose bill Both the UC and Cal State say the latest bill circumvents the 2021 law that allows community colleges to develop bachelor’s programs annually as long as the degrees do not duplicate existing programs at the two university systems. Cal Matters, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026 But anyone’s likeness can be duplicated by AI and you can be made to be doing pretty much anything. Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for duplicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duplicate
Adjective
  • San Diego City and Mesa Colleges tied for third with identical 15-13 and 7-5 records.
    Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
  • In New York, Mamdani issued a nearly identical ultimatum to state lawmakers to approve his proposal to hike taxes on the wealthy and corporations.
    Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Conceived by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the sculptural, curvy building transformed the image of Australia when it was unveiled in 1973.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
  • But his man-of-the-people image has suffered some serious blows over the past year, and a corruption scandal has proved particularly damaging to a president elected on a promise to clean up politics.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In 2006, one copy of the dress sold at auction for a record-breaking £467,200 (about $604,000 today).
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Feb. 2026
  • The series is based on the best-selling manga + light novel franchise, which has sold over 56 million copies.
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • What Peter and his team do is take the negative and take the abrasions out of it and reproduce it at its highest quality.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 22 Feb. 2026
  • Forget about fashionable foodie trends, the cuisine here remains a faithful homage to the master, perfectly reproducing his signature dishes like plump pike quenelle dumplings in a rich creamy Nantua sauce, succulent beef Rossini topped with foie gras or a tasty black truffle soup.
    John Brunton, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In other words, these formulations provide the typical components of your skin’s stem cells in order to replicate their effects—rather than delivering stem cells themselves.
    Deanna Pai, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Can the patriotic atmosphere from the Olympics be replicated in the World Baseball Classic?
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The Twins took an immediate 1-0 lead, doubled it when Lewis singled to drive in Luke Keaschall in the fourth.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2026
  • The fact that Sweden and Finland joined the alliance as a direct result of the full-scale invasion is a clear failure of that aim, Finland’s accession alone more than doubling the land border between Russia and NATO states.
    Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Based on similar moral panics among Democratic politicos proposing bans on new data center development from Oregon to Georgia, the Left seems ready to unite to oppose AI because of its extraordinary potential for economic productivity.
    Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The most high-profile of those included the internal sale of the club’s women’s team, and similar intragroup transactions covering two hotels and a car park.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The object was a full-sized replica of the space capsule that will house a miniature IVF lab.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
  • These are the narrative details of great costuming; not one-to-one replicas, but looks that capture the spirit, priorities and instincts of the person onscreen.
    Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Duplicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duplicate. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

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