ersatz

adjective

ˈer-ˌsäts How to pronounce ersatz (audio)
Definition of ersatznext
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials like everything else the restaurant served, the whipped cream on the dessert was ersatz

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 ersatz Despite being trained on the glorious quirks of humankind’s creative canon, the models push our ersatz artistic output into a bland, muddled middle ground. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026 That ersatz advertisement became real in 2010’s Machete (which reunited Trejo with Heat co-star Robert De Niro) and its 2013 sequel, Machete Kills. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Strung-up nets drip with ersatz fish and nautical paraphernalia, and the sunny interior with colorful highlights echoes coastal Mediterranean architecture. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 2 June 2026 Across the street from the former Goldwyn Studio, this boxy red bar with an ersatz Chinese interior has been a favorite drinking spot for decades. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ersatz
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ersatz
  1. faux
  2. synthetic
  3. fake
  4. artificial
  5. simulated
Adjective
  • Floral garlands, vases, faux windows, buckets, and even a trompe-l’oeil lion skin evoke an atmosphere quite far removed from the typical imagery found in houses in this part of Italy.
    — Elena Dallorso, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This + a faux-fur coat + beloved leather pants + a 44-percent-off deal = your most head-turning (and wallet-sparing) ensemble to date.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • Feathers, synthetic hair and translucent organza were worked into exaggerated silhouettes, alongside insect-like décolletés, feline pantaboots, moss-green leather and cheetah-print effects.
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The exterior of the sculpture is adorned with synthetic braids, a fundamental material with Peacock, for whom braiding is a metaphor for relation, an embrace, irreducible intimacy.
    — Jane Bua, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • The fake blooms lined the sweeping curves that curled across the arena floor.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Chastain goes for broke with melodrama as both the real and fake Mommies.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • But deeper into the community is the Louisiana Leadership Institute, a sprawling complex that includes a full-scale gymnasium, classrooms, a fine arts center, a football field and a stadium with artificial turf.
    — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The explosion caused an artificial radiation belt that destroyed several satellites and partially knocked out street lights and phone lines in Hawaii.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • In addition to rewards for moving at the right speed and in the right direction and penalties for things like wobbling or jerky movement, the team introduced a novel way to keep the hand in a crawling stance during the simulated training.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors also accuse Flores of ordering torture and helping oversee a system of repression in which prisoners were subjected to electric shocks, simulated drowning, beatings and threats against their families.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of simulated

Browse Nearby Words

errs
ersatz
erstwhile
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Cite this Entry

“Ersatz.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ersatz. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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