factitious

adjective

fak-ˈti-shəs How to pronounce factitious (audio)
Definition of factitiousnext
1
as in synthetic
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials presumably the statue is of factitious marble, because for that price you're not going to get the real stuff

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in false
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality the factitious friendliness shown by the beauty-pageant contestants to one another

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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 factitious Another was shorting Valeant, the high-flyer with factitious revenue growth. — William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 With this announcement, factitious (in my opinion) concerns about Amazon being behind in GenAI will be reduced big time. — Sandy Carter, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 Their connection to these was as factitious as their previous link to toothpaste. — David Mamet, National Review, 31 Mar. 2022 Marc Feldman, the American psychiatrist who popularized the term Munchausen by internet, has noticed that most of the cases of factitious disorder that come to his attention involve women. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2021 Amidst this sad and factitious disorder what became clear was that political agendas were once again trumping facts. — Amir Husain, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2021 Almanacs aren’t always — and haven’t always been — so fastidiously factitious. — Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for factitious
  1. synthetic
  2. false
  3. faux
  4. mock
  5. artificial
  6. unnatural
  7. fake
  8. strained
Adjective
  • On the flip side, a synthetic data model can predict how people with certain characteristics might respond without recruiting those people for every study.
    — Rebecca Brooks, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • According to Ali Hafezi, the co-owner of a rug restoration and appraisal company, synthetic fiber rugs are among the easiest rugs to clean.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of synthetic
Adjective
  • The lawsuit filed by two former employees contains allegations that are false, misleading, and unsupported by credible evidence.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Zucker provided false and misleading statements to investigators, according to a summary of findings released Wednesday.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • Dash, 2026, the forty-seven-minute, two-channel essay-film at the project’s core, is filled with quiet, almost meditative scenes of machines tilling the land that initially conjure a faux-pastoral aesthetic register.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • These best-selling boots are the perfect pairing for your faux-suede purse.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of faux
Adjective
  • The outfit consisted of a sleeveless, mock-neck blouse in mocha-brown, tucked into a tawny suede skirt that hit just above her ankles.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Mirroring the look of King’s footwear, Osaka sported a metallic silver pleated top with a mock neckline and no sleeves.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • The search for awareness is now centered on machines, with the debate over artificial-intelligence sentience forcing scientists to take a hard look at what cognition and consciousness actually mean.
    — Andrea Gawrylewski, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For scholars of that mindset, all reference to precedent—any precedent, either natural or artificial—is mediated by modern technologies of mechanical reproduction, and by an awareness of their ubiquitous sway.
    — Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of artificial
Adjective
  • When my husband comes home and stands in front of the refrigerator stuffed with bags of mulberry leaves, his face takes on an unnatural look.
    — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Berry shunned the unnatural world whenever, and however possible.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of unnatural
Adjective
  • Jump scares, dudes with chainsaws, fake blood and adult drinks accentuated with gummy worms.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Days later, Britain’s AI Security Institute said that Anthropic’s most advanced AI model had used fake identities to cover its tracks and attempt to plant malicious code during testing.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • The second of four children, Cusk had a strained relationship with her parents.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • His injuries also included a strained AC joint in his shoulder and abrasions on his face, the affidavit states.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of strained

Browse Nearby Words

factious
factitious
factoid
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Cite this Entry

“Factitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/factitious. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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