Definition of facsimilenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun facsimile differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of facsimile are copy, duplicate, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

When is it sensible to use copy instead of facsimile?

In some situations, the words copy and facsimile are roughly equivalent. However, copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When can duplicate be used instead of facsimile?

The synonyms duplicate and facsimile are sometimes interchangeable, but duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When might replica be a better fit than facsimile?

Although the words replica and facsimile have much in common, 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

In what contexts can reproduction take the place of facsimile?

While in some cases nearly identical to facsimile, 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 facsimile Handwritten Song Manuscripts by Paul McCartney – A collection of facsimiles of handwritten lyrics by McCartney throughout the 1970s. Jem Aswad, Variety, 12 May 2026 Yesteryear is narrated by a woman named Natalie Heller Mills, a Ballerina Farm facsimile who is pregnant with her sixth child at the beginning of the novel, and whose pixel-perfect online life as @YesteryearRanch is essentially all a lie. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026 The facsimile was originally planned to replace the work a month into the show, since the piece, an oil transfer and watercolor on paper, is extremely light-sensitive. Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026 And yet, this is no mere facsimile of a Haitian living room. Elly Fishman, Vogue, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for facsimile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facsimile
Noun
  • Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones has raised millions, including helping to get $800,000 in donations to fund a replica of a historic ship for the maritime museum in his San Diego district.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • When fans walked into Globe Life Mall, they were handed a free sleeveless replica jersey for former Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, who happens to be Jewish.
    Mac Engel June 18, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Initial negotiations between the United States and Iran are still expected to take place in the Swiss mountain resort of Bürgenstock on Friday, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said, after the US and Iran signed a copy of their agreement.
    Pamela Avila, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
  • In the tax filings, the nonprofit also noted that each member gets a copy of the document.
    Sooji Nam, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • Video and images of about 150 strikes against Russian fuel tankers, trucks and other vehicles have been geolocated and analyzed by French open-source analyst Clément Molin and the volunteer-run OSINT group Geoconfirmed, as well as CNN’s OSINT team.
    Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
  • This is the first time the public has seen the still images and video, as no cameras were allowed inside the courtroom during the trial.
    Matthew Davisson, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • But the country’s key tool for suppressing the pest — a facility that breeds sterile flies to halt reproduction of the parasite — isn’t slated to begin operating until November 2027.
    Ilena Peng, Fortune, 13 June 2026
  • Perhaps Abby pursues the reproduction of human experience to counter the void of her own life.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • The Padres remain on the fringe of the way-too-early playoff picture while waiting for Jackson Merrill, Xander Bogaerts and Machado to find their footing.
    Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • In the process of turning the house into a museum, countless artifacts, photos, and personal ephemera were uncovered, painting a vivid picture of the artist’s life at home.
    Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Douglas Fir sleeps up to eight guests, offering two bathrooms and three bedrooms—two of which have queen beds, and one of which is a family suite on the ground floor with a queen bed and two twins.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026
  • Hope and despair are twins, inextricable.
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Live Share enables real-time collaborative editing and debugging without requiring teammates to clone repos or configure matching environments.
    StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 10 June 2026
  • Statistically, Llamas and Kyles are virtual clones in some categories.
    Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The new gallery is the brainchild of Antony Zito, portrait artist, mural painter, and former associate director of Parkville Art Gallery.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2026
  • Among all the things that make Iliad Bookshop unique is the mural outside, depicting literary scenes and portraits of more than fifty authors and musicians like Charles Dickens, Sylvia Plath, Harper Lee, Pink Floyd and Tom Petty.
    Daily News, Daily News, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Facsimile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facsimile. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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