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
Of the 6,429 absentee ballots requested, 4985 have been returned, and of those, 116 were from voters who received a duplicate ballot. Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 8 Apr. 2026 Using unique identifiers attached to each arrestee, The Post excluded a number of apparent duplicate arrests from its analysis. Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
Of the more than 100 habeas petitions that have already been closed this year, a federal judge rejected only one, The Post found, while a few dozen more were duplicates or were dismissed voluntarily. Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026 Other names are probably duplicates, the government says, while some people may have gone off the grid voluntarily for personal reasons. Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
These experiments successfully duplicated the same geometry and abrasion observed in the ancient tooth, bolstering the researchers' conclusions. Ari Daniel, NPR, 13 May 2026 From that moment on, Moser aspired to study Josi’s every move, to try and duplicate his game as much as possible. Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for duplicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duplicate
Adjective
  • Exactly one year after nipping Marist in the state finals at Duluth’s Cecil Morris Field, the Blessed Trinity Titans did it again in an identical manner, edging Marist 1-0 in the GHSA Class 4A girls’ soccer state championship game on Friday night.
    Jeff Gable, AJC.com, 16 May 2026
  • In practical terms, each new bridge design can be realized with identical effort once the robot and mix are ready.
    Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • Additional images showed an unknown number of snakes curled on top of one another inside a large crate that was placed in the back of an officer’s vehicle.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
  • While Washington was private about his Anglican beliefs and a supporter of religious freedom for all faiths, Christian nationalists have been reviving the image, and with it, the claim that the US is an inherently Christian nation at its origin.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Destinee Adams wrote the copy for this piece.
    Michel Martin, NPR, 13 May 2026
  • Ability to quickly attach physical copies of your work to your records.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • According to the specs, the Spectra 6 can reproduce up to 60,000 colors with better saturation and contrast than any previous e-ink tech.
    Joe Salas May 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
  • The moisture can create a perfect haven, if bacteria is present, to reproduce when the baked potato cools down while wrapped in foil and hits a temperature of 135 F to 41 F.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Back to my Taylor Sheirdan example, none of those wannabe Yellowstone shows have been as good, because his unique voice can’t be replicated.
    Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
  • That decision — to rebuild rather than replicate — is the real story of what separates the companies pulling ahead with AI from the ones that aren’t.
    Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • Baldwin struck again in the fifth with an RBI single to left that scored José Azócar — who had doubled for the second time in as many at-bats — and gave the Braves a 2-1 lead.
    Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 17 May 2026
  • Then came the Vientos double in the fifth to increase the Mets’ lead to 5-2.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • On the topic, Becerra noted that the state should work with an AI company to ensure that data centers stay in California and operate in a manner that benefits residents rather than causing issues similar to other states.
    James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • On Thursday, a tipster sent us a copy of a similar bulletin drafted by Nissan in anticipation of a similar supply crunch—and an accompanying price hike for service departments.
    Byron Hurd, The Drive, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • That, of course, is the same plate seen on the show, and the same one on the Volo Museum's replica.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
  • Adult shirts are £85 for replicas, £12o for authentic cuts (closer to what players wear in games), and £130 for the authentic long sleeve version.
    Art de Roché, New York Times, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Duplicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duplicate. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

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