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as in biologic
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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natural

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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
The city coordinated with owners of the Baker Prairie Natural Area and the Martha Milburn Bird Sanctuary early in the planning and design process to minimize the impacts to those naturals areas and to improve access to them, the release states. arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025 The brand was founded by Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft and positioned itself in the naturals category, which by the time of its acquisition had become among the fastest-growing skin care segments globally. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 1 May 2025
Noun
The study took place in the dogs’ natural home environments and with their human owners. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025 From Chincoteague's swimming ponies to Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings on South Padre Island, Texas, witnessing wildlife in its natural state is an incredibly special experience. Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for natural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural
Adjective
  • This one, with its bright shades of gold, red, and orange, provides a pop of seasonal color, and the underlying wire looks like a realistic branch.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
  • According to Han, the dichotomy between the brothers’ maturity wasn’t meant to vilify Jeremiah but is actually a realistic depiction of how young men mature.
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2025
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
  • Urban streams, even once restored, suffer a number of ailments intrinsic to their circumstances and surroundings.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Monetary debasement, the practice of reducing the intrinsic value of a currency, is a tale as old as time.
    Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The two firms are also considering building an oil pipeline and storage facility in Oman to help boost Iraq’s crude exports.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • That prompted a frustrated Webex engineer, Eric Yuan, to quit and start Zoom, which is why WebEx looks like a crude prototype of what Zoom became.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • China seized the uninhabited atoll – 870 km (540 miles) from its southernmost province of Hainan – in 2012 after a long standoff with the Philippine Navy, and has maintained an almost constant coast guard presence in nearby waters since.
    Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Intrepid types who truly seek solitude may also want to consider the Highlands—the uninhabited center of the island.
    Ali Wunderman, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Her practice stands out for its meticulous, trial-ready approach and genuine commitment to her clients.
    William Jones, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Leaders who demonstrate genuine care for their people during difficult transitions protect not only their organizational culture but also their long-term competitiveness.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Therefore, human accessibility experts and user testers with disabilities must always be kept in the loop.
    Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The process starts with stem cells derived from human adipose (fat) tissue that is ethically sourced from a research lab in Texas (the people donating the tissue are healthy, consenting adults getting liposuction).
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The play’s serious depiction of class politics and illegitimate birth were considered shocking by contemporary audiences.
    Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
  • After the death of Stebbins (Garrett Wareing), the Major’s illegitimate son, Ray and Pete are the only Long Walkers left.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

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