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
  • Stop in Jackson Park to tour the new Obama Presidential Center, with interactive exhibits, a life-sized Oval Office replica, and a panoramic Sky Room overlooking Chicago.
    Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 12 June 2026
  • While the original fort no longer stands, a full-scale replica of the original was built and opened to the public in 2025.
    Amy Galo, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • At the end of the evening all guests received a copy of the stunning new book Santo Domingo, published by the prestigious Assouline publishing house, which pays homage to the country’s vibrant capital city, its rich history, and its exhilarating future.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
  • Alongside the guitar is a copy of the Declaration of Independence, annotated by John McKesson, secretary of New York’s Fourth Provincial Congress, in the days following July 4, 1776.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The last image was another of the couple together, with Derek once again holding Rumer’s belly.
    Laura Millar, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
  • The images showed how quarks carrying different fractions of the pion’s momentum are distributed across the particle.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Over time, the theory goes, this will disrupt the reproduction cycle, thereby increasing competition and decreasing the overall population.
    Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 4 June 2026
  • Melious will discuss different types of reproduction found in our trees, the consequences, and management of trees in your own yard.
    Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Some of those same fans were present Monday evening, watching the national team through gaps in the outer fence around Rock Chalk Park or holding their phones above the fence to take pictures and video.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
  • To get a full picture of the effect of this recent increase in wildfire frequency and intensity, a team of researchers fed surface ozone levels and premature death data into a deep-learning model.
    Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • Maddox, 24; Pax, 22; Zahara, 21; Shiloh, 20; and 17-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 10 June 2026
  • The pair would go on to welcome twins, Schuyler and Aquinnah, in 1995, followed by daughter Esmé in 2001.
    Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 9 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
  • David Hockney, the British artist most famous for his 1960s paintings of Los Angeles swimming pools and double portraits rendered in vivid acrylic paints, died at his London home on Thursday, June 11, at age 88.
    Constance W. Glenn, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
  • That year also saw Hockney’s first appearance in Vogue, a group portrait with fellow painters Howard Hodgkin, John Howlin, and Ian Stephenson.
    Robin Muir, Vogue, 12 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Facsimile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facsimile. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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