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
  • Her nose was also dotted with the faux freckles that were scattered across the bridge.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Zebra tablecloths and napkins completed the safari theme, and the walls were decorated with faux magazine covers of Bradfield and his partner, auctioneer William Featherby.
    — Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • Some dental floss manufacturers have been quietly moving away from the synthetic material PTFE, which helped their product slip smoothly between teeth.
    — Margaret Hetherman The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The result is a synthetic rhythm section—a voice mimicking a synthesizer that mimics a bass guitar—that precedes a very human chorus from Please, who does not sing so much as plead, several octaves higher.
    — Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • In episode 4, Noah made up an elaborate ruse involving a fake friend’s wedding in Napa — a means of getting Joanne to wine country for a romantic weekend.
    — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The two fans came with their own props even though fake mustaches were given to fans at the entry gates.
    — Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • Other parts of government already contract out rocket launches, cloud storage, satellite intelligence and artificial-intelligence analysis to the tech sector.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Stocks in the artificial-intelligence industry bounced back Monday on Wall Street and recovered some of their steep losses from last week, but the rest of the market and stocks worldwide were shaky.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • Prosecutors say he was beaten, suspended by his hands and feet and subjected to simulated drowning during two days of interrogation.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • After many attempts of trial and error in a simulated environment, MonoRace figured out the best ways to quickly solve navigation problems and then apply that in the real world.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 14 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 23 Oct. 2026.

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