Definition of duplicatenext
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
Hernandez captured back-to-back high jump and triple jump championships and finished third in the long jump, prompting state officials to issue duplicate medals to the girls pushed down the podium. — Alejandro Avila , Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 John Harbaugh still had players wearing their duplicate training camp numbers in an unusually late afternoon practice. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
New features include Automated Bank-Reconciliation that allows JAX to identify unreconciled transactions, duplicates, missing documents and anomalies, then help resolve them while updating the books in real time. — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 While the original 29 code talkers who created the unbreakable code received Congressional Gold Medals, subsequent Code Talker graduates received the silver duplicate. — Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
The task force did say those numbers could be skewed due to duplicate reports. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 The country plans to expand LNG capacity from 77 million tons per year to 142 million by 2030, and duplicating that infrastructure isn’t feasible. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for duplicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duplicate
Adjective
  • The world has gone through quite a few changes in the 62 years since those frenzied nights at the height of Beatlemania, but the interior of Forest Hills Stadium looks largely identical.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Two companies with identical revenue can be in completely different positions.
    — Shweta Gummidipudi, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • As their names suggest, one perfume bottle features an image of pizza and the other of pasta on its front.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The rooms are incredibly cozy, with gas fireplaces, a pull-out couch, and framed images of different landmarks around the Presidio.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • These genomes should reflect the full sequence of both chromosome copies and the diversity of the global population, rather than relying on one person or one ancestral group as a universal standard.
    — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • When the Spider swings past a silverish-gray newsstand filled with copies of the Daily Bugle, the frame becomes black-and-white, even in the color version.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • An algorithm trained on incomplete or unrepresentative data can reproduce inequities already present in healthcare, except now those decisions arrive wrapped in the appearance of objectivity.
    — Paula Ferrada, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • These earliest plants evolved from water-living multicellular green algae—descendants of the cyanobacteria—and reproduced using spores.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Meloni’s move comes as governments, regulators and public figures grapple with the rapid spread of artificial intelligence tools capable of convincingly replicating voices and images.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Craven similarly replicates the formula of inoffensive statement versus misogynistic backlash.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The cost of steel is up more than 50%, while copper and aluminum prices have nearly doubled, according to Julio Dal Poz, a managing director at FTI Consulting’s energy transition practice.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • And jewelry retailer Steven Singer doubled its average basket size, from $100 to $200, once collectible licensed pieces gave customers a reason to buy two instead of one.
    — David Born, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The bombers were moved abruptly in response to multiple streams of intelligence warnings, including a threat that the aircraft could be hit in a swarm drone attack similar to one Ukraine launched against Russia in June 2025.
    — Steve Hendrix, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Bellingham has followed a similar trajectory off the pitch, emerging as one of the sport’s most marketable young stars.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Hanging beside a replica wooden hut was a birdcage with a note explaining that the parrot had been removed for its own mental well-being.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Eight interconnecting venues offer everything from French-Japanese fusion, an oyster and ceviche bar, poolside cocktails, and a replica speakeasy.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Duplicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duplicate. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster