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
This includes each of the shoe’s signature wavy stripes, which can also be rendered in either leather or synthetic suede. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026 The strand is tougher than Kevlar, the synthetic fiber in bike tires and bulletproof vests, and stronger than steel. — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, in June, Space42 added three new synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) satellites to its Foresight constellation, which can image the Earth at day or night and through cloud cover. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026 The synthetic gives you direction and a new lens, but humans still make the decisions. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 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
  • Many also have holiday decor collections filled with wreaths and artificial Christmas trees already on sale.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The stock market has been shaky recently as technology and artificial-intelligence stocks have swung on worries their prices shot too high in the frenzy around AI.
    — Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • But the real showstopper was the two-story replica of Barbie’s Dreamhouse, complete with a 2D faux pool, a DJ spinning tracks, and the trademark spiral slide.
    — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Releases have experimented with a range of materials and patterns including a standard mesh and synthetic combo, faux-crocodile skin and cow-print sued — and Comme des Garçons is now stepping in as the first collaborator to get a release.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of faux
Noun
  • Lockheed Martin is using high-fidelity simulations and digital engineering to accelerate development.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
  • After tuning their simulation to match real observations, researchers used FLIP to remove the glare and see planets smaller than the telescope’s hardware limits normally allow.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of simulation
Adjective
  • Think of your home as a simulated work environment in which everyday chores — like unloading the dishwasher or gathering ingredients for a meal – are a chance to learn.
    — John Gill, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For all its tests, the company builds realistic simulated environments, red teams these environments itself and with third parties to see whether they can be escaped, and monitors what agents do.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of simulated
Adjective
  • Taking a page out of Better Call Saul‘s playbook, NBC is launching a fake billboard-style ad for Jim Rockford, complete with a hotline number, just like the AMC drama did with attorney Saul Goodman.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Stone was dressed as an aesthetically conscious conservative housewife with a crisp button-down shirt, A-line skirt, peroxide blowout and fake facelift sutures.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 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
  • Black asserts that the statements made by Garcia are false and that traveling to appear on national television to make such statements about the inquiry into Epstein’s crimes goes beyond the purview of a member of Congress.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The hotel had something of a false, albeit star-studded, start, opening for just one night in April 2020 (with first guests including stellar artists Hiroshi Sugimoto and Takashi Murakami), before it was closed by the pandemic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 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

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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 8 Nov. 2026.

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