Definition of reproductionnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun reproduction differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reproduction are copy, duplicate, facsimile, and replica. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

When might copy be a better fit than reproduction?

In some situations, the words copy and reproduction are roughly equivalent. However, copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When would duplicate be a good substitute for reproduction?

The meanings of duplicate and reproduction largely overlap; however, duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When could facsimile be used to replace reproduction?

The synonyms facsimile and reproduction are sometimes interchangeable, but facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would replica be a reasonable alternative to reproduction?

While the synonyms replica and reproduction are close in meaning, 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

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 reproduction The new Kaleido 4 technology addresses some of Kaleido 3’s shortcomings with improved color reproduction, better contrast, and faster screen refreshes. — Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026 The painting will be displayed alongside an ancient relief borrowed from the National Roman Museum, reportedly introduced to Rembrandt through a reproduction, that inspired his depiction of Bathsheba attended to by a footmaid. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 But the labs have not yet come calling for the reproduction pipeline, which will be shared on White Circle’s GitHub to help policymakers assess whether AI safety laws are needed to keep frontier labs in check. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 Traditional blade-style traps deliver strong performance but require manual assembly, making consistent reproduction difficult. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reproduction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reproduction
Noun
  • Junior finance candidates at GoCardless used to be given a data set and a copy of Excel as part of the final round of testing.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Officials hadn’t been served with a copy of the complaint as of Thursday afternoon.
    — Russell Lissau, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Later, however, a faithful replica, also called the Atlantic, was built.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 25 Oct. 2026
  • That team, fittingly enough, will be honored during the Hurricanes’ game on Saturday against Pittsburgh, with the current team wearing replica jerseys to recognize the group.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Reproduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reproduction. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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