natural 1 of 2

Definition of naturalnext
1
2
3
as in biological
being such by blood and not by adoption or marriage an adult adoptee who has decided to search for his natural parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining natural salts are not edible until they are washed and processed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
as in uninhabited
existing without human habitation or cultivation photographs of animals in their natural habitat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

7
8
9
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married had fathered an unknown number of natural children

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

10
11

natural

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective natural differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of natural are normal, regular, and typical. While all these words mean "being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average," natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

When is normal a more appropriate choice than natural?

Although the words normal and natural have much in common, normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

When is it sensible to use regular instead of natural?

The words regular and natural can be used in similar contexts, but regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

Where would typical be a reasonable alternative to natural?

In some situations, the words typical and natural are roughly equivalent. However, typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

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 natural
Adjective
Their dark color also absorbs more solar heat, which can accelerate natural melting during the day. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026 Flying in the face of male arrogance and the city’s penchant for beer and Brazil’s national drink, the caipirinha, Isabel opens a small neighborhood wine, called Os Rejeitados (The Rejects) and specializing in natural wine… what could possibly go wrong? Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
But on Saturday night, Forest Hills Stadium was filled with a spectrum of redheads as far as the eye could see: orange to cherry; wigs and dye—and maybe a few naturals, too. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2025 Trump is labeling some of the people his administration has targeted for deportation as naturals. Doug Sackman, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for natural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural
Adjective
  • This cadence is frequent enough to keep dust and dirt from settling in, but realistic enough to make a consistent habit.
    Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Trading back with one of the picks is realistic if the right offer is on the table.
    Jon Machota, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Shaw has said he was reborn after the shooting and years later would become a born-again Christian.
    Jordan Blum, Houston Chronicle, 9 June 2019
  • In his mid-40s, Mr. Phillips had quietly become a born-again Christian after attending a Billy Graham rally.
    James R. Hagerty, WSJ, 18 Jan. 2019
Adjective
  • To extract these materials, the team designed a three-stage process that combines physical, chemical, and biological techniques.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
  • This elevated risk in women may be rooted in biological differences (in the size and function of women’s hearts), or the unique hormonal factors and comorbidity burden in women.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The unique mineral composition also gives the stones an intrinsic ability to curl along their trajectory.
    Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • So even Socrates, in his defense of the intrinsic goodness of justice, emphasizes the crucial role played by visibility and the corrupting power of hiddenness and anonymity.
    Paul Rosenzweig, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The uninhabited island, which is less than one mile long, is a part of the larger Princess Alexandra National Park.
    Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026
  • About the size of a washing machine, Draco would purposely pile-drive itself over an ocean uninhabited area just some 12 hours after being put into Earth orbit.
    Leonard David, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The files have created some genuine issues for news organizations, whose ranks are filled with individuals with whom Epstein hoped to forge personal connections.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Both players had fists full of each other’s shirts, but the referee pointed to the spot and deemed Akpoguma not to have made a genuine attempt for the ball.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • This much higher frequency of travel enables faster iteration, more frequent resupply, and a shorter timeline for permanent human settlement.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The ability to make something out of nothing may seem uniquely human — a bedrock of creativity that’s led to new kinds of art, music and more.
    Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Nelly herself is heavily reinterpreted by Fennell, imagined in this film as the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat who serves as Cathy’s maid; the film also runs with modern readings of her character as a more proactive meddler in the doomed love between the main characters.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Advertisement Played by Vietnamese American actor Hong Chau, the Nelly of Fennell's film is reframed as the illegitimate daughter of a lord, and she is directly involved in the misunderstandings that drive the movie's central tragedies.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on natural

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!