man-made

adjective

ˈman-ˈmād How to pronounce man-made (audio)
Definition of man-madenext
1
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials man-made diamonds that were really just glass

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2
as in artificial
produced by humans rather than natural processes the houses in the new development are built around a man-made lake

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 man-made The program was created by Congress to help quickly protect nationals of countries that, as a result of natural or man-made disasters, were dangerous for people to return to, with routine reevaluations to decide if the protections would be extended or ended. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026 It’s been his routine for decades, through all manner of upheaval and events — social, political, natural and man-made. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026 Over time, a single nest can become a layered structure of natural and man-made materials. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2026 From ancient canyon walls to towering monuments, these are the iconic destinations — both natural and man-made — that deserve a spot on your travel itinerary. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for man-made
Recent Examples of Synonyms for man-made
  1. synthetic
  2. artificial
  3. faux
  4. simulated
  5. fake
Adjective
  • Even milder synthetic alternatives like DEET are increasingly restricted worldwide due to health risks, creating an urgent need for safer, more sustainable pest management solutions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In landfills, synthetic bristles on paintbrushes can take hundreds of years to degrade, while their plastic handles take up to a thousand years, Silverman said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • Some studies suggest artificial sweeteners may affect the brain in a way similar to sugar, which could make foods more appealing.
    — Lindsey DeSoto, HEALTH, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This aligns with decades of cognitive research that claims learning is more than simply receiving information—especially when that information feels artificial.
    — James Davis, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • The faux suede boots, which are available in standard and wide calf widths, feature a pointed toe, block heels, and a slouchy design.
    — Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The ballet became a hilarious parody of Wagnerian cliches as a cartwheeling child wearing sneakers with rainbow lights and dressed in gold, resembling statues of the composer, presided in front of a faux Bayreuth proscenium.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • During the test, the 28-meter-tall demonstrator underwent a simulated pre-flight sequence under cryogenic conditions.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
  • On July 21, OpenAI disclosed that, during internal testing, one of its frontier models successfully completed a simulated attack chain against Hugging Face’s environment.
    — Tim Keary, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of simulated
Adjective
  • Is this the same Panthea who hates anyone fake or putting things on?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Alongside its launch, Onton released research revealing that current top AI models struggle to filter out fake content and biased reviews—proving that today’s systems simply aren’t built for modern, noisy web environments.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fake

Browse Nearby Words

manly
man-made
manna
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Cite this Entry

“Man-made.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/man-made. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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