man-made

adjective

ˈman-ˈmād How to pronounce man-made (audio)
Definition of man-madenext
1
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials man-made diamonds that were really just glass

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2
as in artificial
produced by humans rather than natural processes the houses in the new development are built around a man-made lake

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 man-made Synthetic, man-made, and natural fibers can all contribute to environmental burdens, depending on how the textiles are processed and treated. — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 3 Aug. 2026 According to Fauci, 10 of the 12 scientists thought the virus was man-made in a lab. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 29 July 2026 Whatever the outcome — sinkhole or man-made — there is an even thornier issue, according to Alyssa Peterson, a longtime community activist who was instrumental in initially organizing the weekly clean-ups. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026 Many of the garnmets appeared too intricate and precise to be man-made, an ode to the artisans all over the world who piece together exquisite Haute Couture creations by pouring thousands of hours into each work. — Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for man-made
Recent Examples of Synonyms for man-made
  1. synthetic
  2. artificial
  3. faux
  4. simulated
  5. fake
Adjective
  • One California law firm says yes, and has filed a barrage of lawsuits this year, targeting hotels in California and elsewhere over synthetic fragrances in common areas.
    — Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Ortovox takes a fresh approach to polyester Ortovox is taking a break from wool for its first synthetic T-shirts—and bringing an odor-control specialist along for the ride.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • But deeper into the community is the Louisiana Leadership Institute, a sprawling complex that includes a full-scale gymnasium, classrooms, a fine arts center, a football field and a stadium with artificial turf.
    — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The explosion caused an artificial radiation belt that destroyed several satellites and partially knocked out street lights and phone lines in Hawaii.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • Floral garlands, vases, faux windows, buckets, and even a trompe-l’oeil lion skin evoke an atmosphere quite far removed from the typical imagery found in houses in this part of Italy.
    — Elena Dallorso, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This + a faux-fur coat + beloved leather pants + a 44-percent-off deal = your most head-turning (and wallet-sparing) ensemble to date.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • Drone swarms were used to provide targeting information to ground units, while tactical UAVs, armed helicopters and unmanned ground vehicles coordinated attacks against simulated targets.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Deeptune, which builds simulated work environments for training AI agents, raised a $43 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz in March and agreed to be acquired by Mercor four months later.
    — Wen Shao, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of simulated
Adjective
  • The fake blooms lined the sweeping curves that curled across the arena floor.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Chastain goes for broke with melodrama as both the real and fake Mommies.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake

Browse Nearby Words

manly
man-made
manna
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Cite this Entry

“Man-made.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/man-made. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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