1
as in self
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others it was the grotesque nature of his stories that made them a challenge to get published in mainstream magazines her nature was such that lying was never an option for her the stoic nature of that family enables them to endure one calamity after another

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in wilderness
that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation needed to get out of the office and back to nature in order to clear his head

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in kind
a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common group together anything round: buttons, lids, coins, and other things of that nature

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5
6
as in universe
the whole body of things observed or assumed the belief that all of nature is controlled by an unseen Supreme Being

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word nature distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of nature are character, description, kind, sort, and type. While all these words mean "a number of individuals thought of as a group because of a common quality or qualities," nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.

two problems of a similar nature

Where would character be a reasonable alternative to nature?

Although the words character and nature have much in common, character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.

research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character

When is it sensible to use description instead of nature?

The synonyms description and nature are sometimes interchangeable, but description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.

not all acts of that description are actually illegal

When can kind be used instead of nature?

In some situations, the words kind and nature are roughly equivalent. However, kind may suggest natural grouping.

a zoo seemingly having animals of every kind

When would sort be a good substitute for nature?

While the synonyms sort and nature are close in meaning, sort often suggests some disparagement.

the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories

In what contexts can type take the place of nature?

The words type and nature are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, type may suggest strong and clearly marked similarity throughout the items included so that each is typical of the group.

one of three basic body types

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 nature Indeed, one of the reasons some men left the League was their perception that the institution treated women too preciously and that the school administration labored to cultivate a puritanical atmosphere in a place that was by nature loose and raucous. Anne Halsey, JSTOR Daily, 6 Aug. 2025 Even the insect night shift was silent around the camp and also in the nearby hills, as if nature were holding its breath. Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025 According to the researchers, these roles scored poorly due to limited job availability and weak growth potential, as well as their potentially hazardous nature. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025 The friend’s perspective revealed the transferable nature of Clunie’s skill set. Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nature
Noun
  • But when Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s was winning the biggest awards in audio journalism, Walker’s triumph was tempered by the fact that Gimlet itself was a husk of its former self.
    Eric Benson, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Show Up As Your Authentic Self Show up publicly as your authentic self, clearly articulating your core values and unique approach.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Luhn, an experienced hiker, was found conscious after nearly a week in the wilderness.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Other manhunts in the wilderness have lasted weeks – with at least one fugitive still missing after two months.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Year-round, the Virginia Beach Farmers Market features local vendors selling everything from fresh produce to handmade soaps, plants, honey, and crafts of all kinds.
    Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Smoking of all kinds, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Mamdani’s sunny disposition, influencer-like mastery of shortform video, and preference for speaking in universal terms — housing as a human right, affordable food for all — have invited inevitable comparisons to one Barack Obama.
    Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Known for their distinctive appearance and sweet disposition, Lambkins are a rare breed.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Overall, the performances from these past two days captured the essence of breaking about as well as possible given the context.
    Jason Pu, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Four of the Harry Potter: Houses of Hogwarts x Krispy Kreme Collection pay homage to the four houses — Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw — and the last of the lineup has an inconspicuous appearance but the essence of the Sorting Hat.
    Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • In the Taylor Swift universe hardly anything is a coincidence.
    Bryan West, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Kane enters Fitzgerald’s universe seamlessly, combining facts from her life and imagined connections and scenes.
    Jane Ciabattari August 12, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Their relationships and personalities come through on-screen.
    Scott Greenstone, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Clarkson has also been open about her daughter's independent personality.
    Julie Tremaine, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • This was what attracted them, Mala said, because no Indian woman was allowed enough privacy to thus indulge in a solipsistic obsession with her own psychology—encouraged to chart the fluctuations of her temperament in response to deep crises that were inevitably banal.
    Kiran Desai, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2025
  • That Wolff himself suffered from migraines almost certainly contributed to this typology, and other descriptions of his temperament by students and peers lends credence to the idea that his notion of the migraine personality was to some extent autobiographical.
    Tom Zeller Jr. July 30, Literary Hub, 30 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nature. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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