1
as in congenital
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in living
closely resembling the object imitated
the diorama featuring stuffed birds and plastic plants actually looked very natural
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in biologic
being such by blood and not by adoption or marriage
an adult adoptee who has decided to search for his natural parents
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in uninhabited
existing without human habitation or cultivation
photographs of animals in their natural habitat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in human
relating to or characteristic of human beings
it's only natural to make mistakes—it's part of being human
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in illegitimate
born to a father and mother who are not married
had fathered an unknown number of natural children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in barbarian
not civilized
a natural man, unacquainted with the blessings and burdens of society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in idiot
a stupid person
a character depicted as a natural in the novel as indicated by his unsophisticated speech habits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
natural resources
natural disasters
a natural beauty
natural products
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
Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The natural chaos of life can make uncertainty feel even worse, Dr. Gallagher says.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 14 Apr. 2025
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
Will Smith, who starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which Jones executive produced, would have been a natural for the Jones tribute, but he was banned from all Academy Award events for 10 years in 2023 following his misbehavior on that year’s telecast.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for natural
Adjective
An ‘Extraordinary’ Day Hike: The Cactus to Clouds ascent just outside Palm Springs, Calif., is grueling, but natural treasures, and a speedy trip down, await anyone who is up to the challenge.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The natural chaos of life can make uncertainty feel even worse, Dr. Gallagher says.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
The fit was seen as a natural: UConn is expanding it regional campus presence in downtown Hartford, including the addition of student housing.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
Will Smith, who starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which Jones executive produced, would have been a natural for the Jones tribute, but he was banned from all Academy Award events for 10 years in 2023 following his misbehavior on that year’s telecast.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for natural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natural
Adjective
-
The gene that causes a white coat and blue eyes can also be responsible for congenital deafness, though not all white cats will be deaf or have blue eyes.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
-
In the case of Bronny James, he reportedly was diagnosed with congenital heart defect which was not specifically named and has had a procedure to address the issue.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
With Asian elephants—its closest living relatives—facing a 22-month pregnancy and a decade-long wait for maturity, researchers needed a faster way to test their genetic edits.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Six more living hostages returned this past Saturday, but with further outrages by Hamas.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, gardening ranked among the top five activities that participants found most meaningful, which speaks to the deep, intrinsic satisfaction such hobbies bring.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The most important factor behind a player’s intrinsic value is their quality.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The spill killed 11 people and injured 17 others as 210 million gallons of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico (recently renamed by the U.S. government as Gulf of America) for a total of 87 days.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
But recently the price of Russian crude oil, called Urals, has dipped close to $50 per barrel.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That might include kayaking or hiking Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, searching for seals and birdlife on the uninhabited Brion Island, exploring the rugged beauty of Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, or sailing through the legendary lochs and canals of the St. Lawrence Seaway.—
Fran Golden,
AFAR Media,
9 Apr. 2025
-
That didn’t stop Trump from placing tariffs on uninhabited Pacific islands, including one whose only inhabitants are U.S. military personnel.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This is a moment of genuine courage and growth, but it can be dismissed as snitching by viewers who can’t see past her overconfidence from several hours ago.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Between the lines: Paxton is a genuine Trump ally and is eager to hit Cornyn for being a Washington establishment figure rather than true MAGA.—
Stef W. Kight,
Axios,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Conspicuously anglo human characters resemble the generic design often seen in low-rent CG fare produced overseas: large heads with pristine skin and pronounced facial features.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Her decision to turn down the Apple beat at the Journal in 2007, the year the iPhone was released, in order to pursue an M.F.A. in fiction propels an exploration of how much human creativity depends on the ideas and labor of others.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In January 2024, the work was sold to Geffen, seemingly on Sun’s behalf — Sun now says the sale was illegitimate.—
Rachel Corbett,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
-
They get snared into helping their private investigator friend Moby (Hung) track down kidnappers intent on capturing a young woman named Sylvia (Lola Forner), who turns out to be the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish count.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Natural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natural. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share