ARTIFICIAL

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does artificial mean? 

• ARTIFICIAL (adjective)
  The adjective ARTIFICIAL has 3 senses:

1. contrived by art rather than nature
2. artificially formal
3. not arising from natural growth or characterized by vital processes

  Familiarity information: ARTIFICIAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ARTIFICIAL (adjective)

Meaning:

Contrived by art rather than nature

Synonyms:

artificial; unreal

Context examples:

artificial flowers / artificial flavoring / an artificial diamond / artificial fibers / artificial sweeteners

Similar:

painted (lacking substance or vitality as if produced by painting)

near (closely resembling the genuine article)

man-made; semisynthetic; synthetic (not of natural origin; prepared or made artificially)

fake; false; faux; imitation; simulated (not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article)

factitious (not produced by natural forces)

ersatz; substitute (artificial and inferior)

dummy (having the appearance of being real but lacking capacity to function)

conventionalised; conventionalized; stylised; stylized (using artistic forms and conventions to create effects; not natural or spontaneous)

celluloid; synthetic (artificial as if portrayed in a film)

cardboard; unlifelike (without substance)

bleached; colored; coloured; dyed ((used of color) artificially produced; not natural)

bionic (having particular physiological functions augmented or replaced by electronic or electromechanical components)

arranged; staged (deliberately arranged for effect)

Also:

counterfeit; imitative (not genuine; imitating something superior)

unreal (lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria)

Antonym:

natural (existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation)

Meaning:

Artificially formal

Synonyms:

stilted; artificial; contrived; hokey

Context examples:

that artificial humility that her husband hated / contrived coyness / a stilted letter of acknowledgment / when people try to correct their speech they develop a stilted pronunciation

Similar:

affected; unnatural (speaking or behaving in an artificial way to make an impression)

Meaning:

Not arising from natural growth or characterized by vital processes

Similar:

inorganic (lacking the properties characteristic of living organisms)