1
as in abnormal
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
the documentary evinces an unnatural obsession with the gruesome details of the disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strained
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
just before the debate, the candidates flashed unnatural smiles for the cameras
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unnatural
In any lesser performance, that character could’ve hardened into a villainous fairy-tale creature, the uncaring mother who has abandoned her child for the sake of her own unnatural career ambitions.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Traditional robotics has addressed this by separating locomotion and manipulation into distinct controllers linked by state machines, resulting in slow, brittle, and unnatural behavior.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The chasm between physical scales — atoms are vastly larger than the Planck scale — seems unstable and unnatural.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Because touring is a really unnatural thing.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnatural
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Traditional robotics has addressed this by separating locomotion and manipulation into distinct controllers linked by state machines, resulting in slow, brittle, and unnatural behavior.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The chasm between physical scales — atoms are vastly larger than the Planck scale — seems unstable and unnatural.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Because touring is a really unnatural thing.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unnatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unnatural
Adjective
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Roasty and savory like garlic butter before dessert, where fragrances can become an abnormal testament to a brief, unyielding safety.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
And to feel momentary dismay and stress and sadness or anxiety in response to it strikes me as a normal human response to an abnormal event.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The strained awkwardness of Adelina and Alban’s gestures of generosity underscore the class disparity between the city dwellers and their relatives.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
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Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Israel were already severely strained after South Africa — a longtime supporter of the Palestinian people — accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a case at the United Nations’ top court.—
Gerald Imray,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Their most recent lawsuit alleges trademark infringement and counterfeiting, along with false designation of origin and seeks unspecified damages from the online sellers.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
-
His reflections on the controversies and critical snubbings that greeted movies that have since become consensus masterpieces are nuanced without descending into false modesty.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The mock drafts have already started pouring in from national draft experts.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Ten days before Wagler dropped 46 points on Purdue on just 17 shots, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo had the former Shawnee Mission Northwest star going 18th overall in his latest NBA mock draft.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Still, the uncomfortable truth that few are publicly acknowledging is that, by almost every traditional measure of intelligence, artificial general intelligence already exists.—
Mark Minevich,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Investors honed in instead on how much Microsoft is spending on investments, whether growth in its Azure cloud business will slow and how long its push into artificial-intelligence technology will take to turn into big profits.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Driving through deep water can also affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
State police told the outlet that the tractor-trailer had an unspecified mechanical problem.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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At one point, Melania is shown watching television coverage of the proceedings on CNN, apparently unconcerned that the network only traffics in fake news.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
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Authorities have said the backpack contained a ghost gun, fake IDs, a notebook and other writings detailing Mangione’s grievances against the private health care system in the United States.—
Adam Reiss,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The result is exaggerated price moves, especially in smaller precious metals markets, where relatively modest inflows can push prices sharply higher, making the rally feel detached from traditional supply-and-demand dynamics.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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Rowland maintained the sharp lines of the shoes and paired them with an oversize sculptural jacket with exaggerated lapels, with nothing underneath.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unnatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unnatural. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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