Definition of replicanext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun replica differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of replica are copy, duplicate, facsimile, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," 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

When would copy be a good substitute for replica?

The words copy and replica can be used in similar contexts, but copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When is duplicate a more appropriate choice than replica?

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

a duplicate of a house key

When could facsimile be used to replace replica?

While the synonyms facsimile and replica are close in meaning, facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would reproduction be a reasonable alternative to replica?

In some situations, the words reproduction and replica are roughly equivalent. However, 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 replica Grenelle, located further west, offers swimming with direct views of the Eiffel Tower while facing a quarter-scale replica of the Statue of Liberty. Camille Knight, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 La Verne’s bell is a full-scale, exact replica of the original, without the crack. Daily News, 4 July 2026 End at perhaps the quirkiest attraction on this list, Carhenge, a replica of England's Stonehenge crafted with old cars. Katy Spratte Joyce, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 The original torch could not be restored due to severe damage over the years, so it was replaced with an exact replica. ABC News, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for replica
Recent Examples of Synonyms for replica
Noun
  • The flag was also draped over Khamenei’s casket in images published last week by his official X account.
    Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Rodríguez Castro, the person said, projects a similar tough-guy image.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Across villages in Punjab, Sikh organizations, local activists and residents have begun organizing community screenings using copies that have circulated online.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, a local nonprofit supporting immigrants in Kansas City, said Thursday that a manager at La Fontanella was told that agents brought a search warrant but that no witnesses or employees saw a copy.
    Ilana Arougheti July 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • The twins announced their Netflix partnership with, naturally, a YouTube video.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
  • The iMETRO Dynamic Simulation creates a high-fidelity digital twin of NASA Johnson Space Center’s iMETRO research facility, enabling researchers worldwide to develop, validate, and refine intravehicular robotic systems in a virtual environment.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • The weapon of choice to keep the screwworm at bay is a plant in Pacora, Panama, that has been continually churning out sterile flies, which mate with wild female flies to halt reproduction.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Hormones such as estrogen and thyroid hormone are chemical messengers that regulate growth, metabolism, reproduction and many other essential functions through the endocrine system.
    Brad Reisfeld, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Much of the film is shot-for-shot, line of dialogue-by-line of dialogue a veritable clone.
    Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 8 July 2026
  • Will today’s celebrities soon be sending their AI clones into our laptops to chat with us, advise us, keep us company?
    Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • And the guy who loved John Wayne movies and came to do a fine imitation reckoned his should be in that spirit.
    Vahe Gregorian July 5, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
  • In fact, the pursuit of a truly American design style—one that turns away from imitation and toward exploration—has been a focus for architects since this country was founded.
    Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • This picture taken on March 26, 2026 shows an oil tanker unloading crude oil at a port in Yantai, in China's eastern Shandong province.
    Justina Lee, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Your parents’ and grandparents’ faded photo family albums probably have similar pictures too.
    Tracy Stone-Manning, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Her plans are derailed when a mysterious fluid begins flowing from her navel and transforms into a perfect but uncontrollable duplicate of herself.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 July 2026
  • There’s been potential discrepancies and a few ballots the machines have declined, but the board has unanimously voted to just make duplicates of those ballots with the same result, appeasing the tabulators.
    Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 8 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Replica.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/replica. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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