NATURAL Synonyms: 440 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

natural 1 of 2

adjective

ˈna-ch(ə-)rəl

Definition of natural

as in realistic

closely resembling the object imitated the diorama featuring stuffed birds and plastic plants actually looked very natural

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in born

being such from birth or by nature from his first visits to the wading pool, we could tell that our little boy loved water and was a natural swimmer

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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

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as in intrinsic

being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing her natural talent for music first became apparent when, unbidden, she started banging on a toy piano

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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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as in uninhabited

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

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as in genuine

free from any intent to deceive or impress others she was completely natural in expressing her feelings for him, unafraid of how they would be received

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as in human

relating to or characteristic of human beings it's only natural to make mistakes—it's part of being human

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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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legitimate

as in great

having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature his late grandfather was as kind and natural a man as one could ever hope to meet

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as in barbarian

not civilized a natural man, unacquainted with the blessings and burdens of society

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natural

2 of 2

noun

as in phenomenon

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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

Jović has considerably less grass in her CV, but credits her natural ease on the surface with her soccer childhood in Los Angeles. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 July 2026 The lightweight formula is packed with hydrating, skin-plumping ingredients, including hyaluronic acid and aloe water, which leave me with a natural-looking, no-makeup-makeup look that’s also extremely buildable. — Melony Forcier, InStyle, 5 July 2026

Noun

That’s a natural for the company that owns Nickelodeon, which remains a content engine for the company even as the linear cable business slides. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025 In the bawdy comedic scene, Tommy wakes up au natural in his hotel bed after an amorous evening with his wife, Angela Norris (Ali Larter), to find a shocked housekeeper in the hotel room. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for natural

Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural

Adjective

There are other realistic podium contenders worth mentioning.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Most independent observers have suggested that a 12- to 18-month timeline is probably the most realistic for New Glenn’s return to flight.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026

Definition of realistic

Adjective

Toregem is starting with people who have severe congenital hypodontia, then plans to expand into broader cases of tooth loss.

— Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
Their patients include children who have seizure disorders, congenital heart diseases that require surgery, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and leukemia, as well as others who need feeding tubes and ventilators to treat their illnesses, according to their court declarations.

— Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 25 June 2026

Definition of congenital

Adjective

Aside from the peeling of the waterproof coating, the reflecting pool has been plagued by an algae bloom, a persistent problem due to Washington’s high heat during the summer and the pool’s shallow depth, which creates an ideal biological incubator.

— Philip Wang, Time, 6 July 2026
If the science holds up in human trials, tooth loss could eventually be treated as a biological problem to reverse rather than a permanent condition to patch over with implants and dentures.

— Allison Palmer July 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026

Definition of biological

Adjective

Andrew Warden, vice president of marketing at Adobe, noted that brands need to adapt to the fact that AI is now an intrinsic part of the default search experience.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
Brand sentiment, the real measure of a creator's intrinsic value, the strength of their network and how much their audience genuinely trusts them.

— Taylor Reilly, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of intrinsic

Adjective

Earlier that day, Contreras had broken down in tears while talking about the deadly earthquakes that devastated his native Venezuela.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Once a month, Alejandro de Lucia, 62, a Cuban native living in Long Island, launches the Supermarket23 app and selects meats, rice and other items to send to his in-laws in Cojimar, who are in their 80s.

— Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of native

Adjective

Mid-range uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) can suppress, distract, saturate, and expose Russian air defenses.

— David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
There's also casual Italian fare at Bottega; castaway lunches at Drift, set on the uninhabited island of Jehunuhura; and Scoops for smoothies and free ice-cream cones.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026

Definition of uninhabited

Adjective

Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley There may still be questions about whether the romance between Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley was genuine, and their secret, quick-turn overseas wedding didn't help matters.

— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 3 July 2026
This is a film with genuine heart and authenticity that reflects modern Britain while speaking to audiences far beyond its borders.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 July 2026

Definition of genuine

Adjective

Jim Campbell, chief legal counsel for ADF, pointed to Cross’s alleged experience as one of the human costs behind the legal fight.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
At the center of it all is Brent Charles’ sinewy Caius Martius Coriolanus, who runs through the play like a human scythe.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of human

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“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of natural

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noun

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