Word
synthetic
Phoneticssyn·thet·ic, stress on the second syllable
US/sɪnˈθɛtɪk/
UK/sɪnθˈɛtɪk/
Definitions
01man-made or artificial
B2 · Upper Intermediate Science
adj. made by humans using chemical processes rather than occurring naturally.
adj. produced by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product.
“Many modern clothes are made from synthetic materials like nylon or polyester.”
“The laboratory succeeded in creating a synthetic version of the rare plant extract, ensuring a steady supply for medical research without depleting natural resources.”
Synonyms
02not genuine
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. not real or honest; fake.
adj. artificial or insincere in manner, tone, or quality.
“The politician greeted the crowd with a synthetic smile that didn't reach his eyes.”
“Critics dismissed the pop star's latest album as a synthetic corporate product lacking any genuine emotional depth.”
03grammar and word endings
C2 · Proficiency Linguistics Academic · Technical
adj. describing a language that uses many word endings to show the meaning of a sentence.
adj. characterised by a grammar that depends on the use of bound morphemes or inflections to indicate syntactic relationships.
“Latin is a synthetic language because the endings of the words tell you their role in the sentence.”
“Linguistic evolution often shows a shift from highly synthetic structures toward more analytic ones, where word order and auxiliary verbs replace complex case endings.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04a man-made material
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a substance or fabric that is made by humans, not from nature.
n. a chemical compound or textile produced by synthesis.
“The athlete prefers wearing synthetics because they dry much faster than cotton.”
“The rise of cheap synthetics in the mid-twentieth century revolutionised the fashion industry, making durable clothing accessible to the general public.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “synthetic” in context.
Real-World Examples
“Synthetic DNA offered another important advantage over natural DNA.” “Graphite treated in this way for several hours becomes a synthetic diamond.” “The Velvet Sundown has 117,000 monthly listeners on Spotify but its page has no clear AI labelling, although the artist profile describes the four-piece as a “synthetic music project”.” “Synthetic data could still teach the wrong lessons if it misrepresents contact forces, surface friction, or any number of other things.” Etymology
From French synthétique, from Ancient Greek συνθετικός (sunthetikós); Equivalent to synthesis + -ic (suffix formation of -tic).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/synthetic