duplicate 1 of 3

Definition of duplicatenext

duplicate

2 of 3

noun

duplicate

3 of 3

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
Toss unmatched or damaged Tupperware, old gadgets, and duplicate kitchen tools to free up space. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 22 May 2026 Sharing that data allows agencies that issue driver’s licenses to verify that a person doesn’t have duplicate licenses in multiple states. Sacramento Bee Contributor, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
Removing duplicates will not alter the substantive analysis ED must conduct for each borrower, or the order in which ED processes requests. Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Creating a Dayton duplicate is less work for the NCAA, after all. Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ryan is hoping to help Glenn duplicate the success his father achieved as coach. Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026 Then, at some point in the distant past, the system’s genes were duplicated. Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for duplicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duplicate
Adjective
  • An InStyle writer discovered that Quince’s $140 Italian Leather Mini Bowler Crossbody Satchel is a near-identical lookalike to a popular $3,750 Miu Miu bag.
    Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 13 June 2026
  • The braking setup is identical too, with a single dual-piston caliper and 290-mm disc up front, and a 220-mm disc with a two-piston caliper for the rear.
    Utkarsh Sood June 13, New Atlas, 13 June 2026
Noun
  • The last image was another of the couple together, with Derek once again holding Rumer’s belly.
    Laura Millar, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
  • The images showed how quarks carrying different fractions of the pion’s momentum are distributed across the particle.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • At the end of the evening all guests received a copy of the stunning new book Santo Domingo, published by the prestigious Assouline publishing house, which pays homage to the country’s vibrant capital city, its rich history, and its exhilarating future.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
  • Alongside the guitar is a copy of the Declaration of Independence, annotated by John McKesson, secretary of New York’s Fourth Provincial Congress, in the days following July 4, 1776.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Once a specific constraint is imposed, the mathematical model reproduces the exact behavior of the original nonreciprocal flock.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
  • This article originally appeared in Spektrum der Wissenschaft and was reproduced with permission.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • The researchers explored how to grow grass in indoor stadiums that lack plant-sustaining sunlight, collecting data in a shade structure FIFA constructed at the University of Tennessee to replicate conditions of a domed stadium.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • Those raw emotions and moments of shared experience, which can be so hard to find in a fractured society, will be replicated all over the world in the coming weeks, bring families, communities and entire nations together, uniting them in hope, joy and, of course, despair.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Balogun appeared to double the lead coming out of the hydration break midway through the opening half, but the goal was negated by an offside call.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026
  • Folarin Balogun doubled the United States' lead in the 30th minute.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Adjective
  • Mexico is hoping to receive a similar spark this summer from its own 17-year-old phenom, the midfielder Gilberto Mora.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 June 2026
  • The finding mirrors similar investigations into medical schools at UCLA and UC San Diego.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • Stop in Jackson Park to tour the new Obama Presidential Center, with interactive exhibits, a life-sized Oval Office replica, and a panoramic Sky Room overlooking Chicago.
    Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 12 June 2026
  • While the original fort no longer stands, a full-scale replica of the original was built and opened to the public in 2025.
    Amy Galo, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Duplicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duplicate. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on duplicate

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