Synonyms of endemic

endemic

adjective

en-ˈde-mik 

as in indigenous

belonging to a particular place by birth or origin

the fish is not an endemic species of the lake, and it is rapidly devouring the native trout population

Synonyms & Similar Words

• indigenous
• aboriginal
• native
• autochthonous
• local
• domestic
• born
• regional
• original

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• introduced
• foreign
• exotic
• nonindigenous
• nonnative
• strange
• alien
• immigrant
• transplanted
• imported
• expatriate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word endemic distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of endemic are aboriginal, indigenous, and native. While all these words mean "belonging to a locality," endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

When might aboriginal be a better fit than endemic?

The words aboriginal and endemic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

When would indigenous be a good substitute for endemic?

While in some cases nearly identical to endemic, indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere.

indigenous plants

When is it sensible to use native instead of endemic?

In some situations, the words native and endemic are roughly equivalent. However, native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of endemic

But the disease would once again become endemic, meaning ever-present at some baseline level, like influenza, which sickens millions and kills thousands in the U.S. every year. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025

At current vaccination rates, the model predicts that the disease would become endemic in the US within 25 years. —Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025

Increasing vaccination rates by just five percent would likely bring the number of measles cases away from endemic levels. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025

In addition to harboring both a Caribbean and Pacific coast, the interior of Costa Rica boasts high-altitude cloud forests that brim with all sorts of colorful endemic birds—yet perhaps one of the most fascinating ecosystems in the nation can be found in the extreme west. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025

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