synthetic 1 of 2

adjective

sin-ˈthe-tik How to pronounce synthetic (audio)
Definition of syntheticnext
1
as in artificial
produced by humans rather than natural processes that organic farm doesn't use any pesticides or synthetic fertilizers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials synthetic fur collars boots of waterproof synthetic leather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

synthetic

2 of 2

noun

as in simulation

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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 synthetic
Adjective
Semaglutide, sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, is a synthetic peptide designed to mimic GLP-1, which helps regulate satiety. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 Sifting through pages of medical records, prosecutor Abbe Rifkin highlighted how Sierra once had a seizure in his jail cell after using K2, a form of synthetic marijuana. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
The synthetic gives you direction and a new lens, but humans still make the decisions. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026 In The Sacramento Bee’s climate model simulations built with dozens of synthetic super El Niños, the strongest events line up with the wettest California winters statewide. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for synthetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for synthetic
  1. artificial
  2. faux
  3. simulation
  4. simulated
  5. fake
  6. dummy
  7. false
  8. imitative
Adjective
  • The series also leans on some corny, dad-style humor that further underscores its artificial nature.
    — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The authors believe their own work will eventually find similar medical and microfluidic applications, such as for artificial pumps.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • Experts called plumassiers, or feather specialists, would often collaborate with fashion houses and incorporate feathers, both faux and real, into designs for couture and ready-to-wear collections.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The ground floor features an 18-seat bar with a rum wall backsplash, carved Moai heads and high-tops that spill out to a lush faux-grass courtyard framed in palm trees and tiki-totem pillars.
    — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of faux
Noun
  • Computational simulations, however, showed that these channels connect with one another, creating a three-dimensional network through which lithium ions can move.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Anthropic’s researchers tested fifteen other AI models on the same simulation, and found that all of them displayed similar urges.
    — Kevin Roose, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of simulation
Adjective
  • In addition to rewards for moving at the right speed and in the right direction and penalties for things like wobbling or jerky movement, the team introduced a novel way to keep the hand in a crawling stance during the simulated training.
    — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors also accuse Flores of ordering torture and helping oversee a system of repression in which prisoners were subjected to electric shocks, simulated drowning, beatings and threats against their families.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of simulated
Adjective
  • The fake blooms lined the sweeping curves that curled across the arena floor.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Chastain goes for broke with melodrama as both the real and fake Mommies.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • Technicians spent weeks running inert dummy rods through the cutters to verify tolerances before introducing live radioactive fuel.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Perception set up a dummy news site and created fake social-media accounts highlighting the tournament’s amenities, which included kosher food in stadiums.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of dummy
Adjective
  • Some defendants face additional allegations involving false claims of citizenship or fraudulent statements that rest on separate federal statutes.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Those numbers include 759 false identification cards confiscated, 378 alcohol-possession-by-a-minor violations and 98 fake-ID citations during the calendar-year reporting period, according to Oxford Police.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • Using techniques like input-dependent computation and gating, the liquid AI design gives us substantially greater power to access the human-like cognition, albeit imitative, of the machines.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Since then, whenever new tools to crank out communications have become available, somebody has flooded the zone with the fastest, most imitative material that could garner attention.
    — Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of imitative

Browse Nearby Words

synthesizing
synthetic
synthetics
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Cite this Entry

“Synthetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/synthetic. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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