Synonyms for artificial
modified
Said of things
synthetic, unreal, counterfeit, spurious, ersatz, fake, manufactured, man-made, imitation, mock, simulated, substitute, false, sham, fabricated, contrived, unnatural, plastic, pseudo, bogus, fictitious, make-believe, phony*; see also false 3.
Antonyms natural, genuine*, real.
Said of conduct
mannered, unnatural, feigned; see affected 2, 3.
artificial is applied to anything made by human work, esp. if in imitation of something natural artificial hair; synthetic is applied to a substance that is produced by chemical synthesis and is used as a substitute for a natural substance which it resembles synthetic dyes; ersatz, which refers to an artificial substitute, always implies an inferior substance ersatz coffee made from chicory; counterfeit and spurious are applied to a careful imitation deliberately intended to deceive counterfeit money, a spurious signature
See artificial in American Heritage Dictionary 4 Synonyms
artificial synthetic ersatz simulated
These adjectives refer to what is made by humans rather than natural in origin. Artificial is broadest in meaning and connotation: an artificial sweetener; artificial flowers.
Synthetic often implies the use of a chemical process to produce a substance that will look or function like the original, often with certain advantages: synthetic rubber; a synthetic fabric.
An ersatz product is a transparently inferior imitation: ersatz coffee; ersatz mink.
Simulated often refers to a fabricated substitute or imitation of a costlier substance: simulated diamonds.
See artificial in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II
adjective
Made by human beings instead of nature:
manmade, manufactured, synthetic. See cultureMade to imitate something else:
imitation, manmade, mock, simulated, synthetic. (Informal) pretend. See realNot genuine or sincere:
affected, feigned, insincere, phony, pretended. See trueArtificially genteel:
affected, mannered, precious. (Informal) la-di-da. See good, honest, plain, trueMarked by unnaturalness, pretension, and often a slavish love of fads:
factitious, plastic, synthetic, unnatural. See honest
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