# synthetic

/sɪnˈθɛtɪk/ (US) · /sɪnθˈɛtɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/synthetic
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. man-made or artificial

adjective · CEFR B2

made by humans using chemical processes rather than occurring naturally.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. not genuine

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

not real or honest; fake.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. grammar and word endings

adjective · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

describing a language that uses many word endings to show the meaning of a sentence.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. a man-made material

noun · CEFR B2

a substance or fabric that is made by humans, not from nature.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- This jacket is made from a durable synthetic.
- While natural wool is warm, many athletes prefer a high-performance synthetic that wicks moisture away from the skin.
- The transition from natural rubber to industrial synthetics allowed for more consistent manufacturing standards across the automotive sector during the mid-twentieth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.