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as in biologic
being such by blood and not by adoption or marriage an adult adoptee who has decided to search for his natural parents

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as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining natural salts are not edible until they are washed and processed

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as in uninhabited
existing without human habitation or cultivation photographs of animals in their natural habitat

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as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married had fathered an unknown number of natural children

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natural

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noun

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For
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natural resources
geological resources
geologic resources
physical resources
native resources
environmental resources
natural disasters
earthly disasters
environmental disasters
ecological disasters
major disasters
unexpected disasters
a natural beauty
a genuine beauty
an authentic beauty
a real beauty
an unaltered beauty
an original beauty
natural products
organic products
holistic products
herbal products
pure products
homeopathic products
a natural law
an universal law
a physical law
a scientific law
a cosmic law
an innate law

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective natural differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of natural are normal, regular, and typical. While all these words mean "being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average," natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

When is normal a more appropriate choice than natural?

Although the words normal and natural have much in common, normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

When is it sensible to use regular instead of natural?

The words regular and natural can be used in similar contexts, but regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

Where would typical be a reasonable alternative to natural?

In some situations, the words typical and natural are roughly equivalent. However, typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

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 natural
Adjective
Its lightweight, non-greasy texture provides long-lasting hydration with a blend of hyaluronic acid and five essential ceramides, to restore and maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 13 June 2025 Likewise, the 42 mm case had a natural sense of balance with lugs to die for. Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 13 June 2025
Noun
The main focus is Divine G (Colman Domingo), a talented performer and playwright who has been falsely imprisoned, but the movie’s power comes from its ensemble made up of actual RTA alumni who are naturals on camera. Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2025 The lazy naturals are folks who don’t want to compromise the integrity of their curls but can’t stand the thought of long washdays and laborious maintenance. Annie Blay, Allure, 23 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for natural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural
Adjective
  • She had been born with complex congenital heart defects: parts of the right side of her heart hadn’t developed, and there were multiple holes in the organ.
    Jordan Greene, People.com, 4 June 2025
  • Two days later, his heart was implanted into Meikle, who was dying of a congenital heart defect and was on the transplant waiting list.
    Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This is a living example of how businesses can harness AI and microgrids to increase operational efficiency, support sustainability goals and better prepare for energy volatility.
    Frederic Godemel, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Its storied past offers a rare glimpse into evolutionary processes that allow living organisms to thrive for thousands of years.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This intrinsic volatility is a typical trait of new, avant-garde technologies.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • Is your motivation for doing well extrinsic or intrinsic?
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • The government’s finances are highly sensitive to fluctuations in crude prices, with oil and gas earnings making up around 30% of federal revenues in 2024, according Heli Simola, senior economist at the Bank of Finland.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 6 June 2025
  • Oil producers’ group OPEC+ decided to up its production levels despite weak crude prices, in what is being seen as a bid to hold on to its market share in a tough economic environment.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Adjective
  • After Trump imposed tariffs on uninhabited Antarctic islands, critics adopted seized penguins as protest mascots.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 June 2025
  • Witnesses have said the shootings all occurred at the Flag Roundabout, about half a mile from one of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's distribution sites in the now mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • Learning to be resilient from the inside out is essential for developing genuine capacity and successfully navigating challenging times.
    Melissa Cidado, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • DeBlois dials the cuteness quotient back somewhat while giving this massive animal a genuine presence.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • But the formations in the caves, a single human touch can destroy them.
    Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2025
  • The mobile home was not permitted for human occupancy, according to the report and Bonta’s lawsuit.
    Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • This secret-keeping tradition kept President François Mitterrand’s illegitimate daughter hidden for years.
    Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
  • Maduro, whose reelection last year to a third term has been condemned internationally as illegitimate, also has cracked down on his political opponents.
    Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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