Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Not genuine or natural; artificial: Something that is synthetic is man-made and not produced by natural processes. It often imitates a natural material or quality.
   • Relating to synthesis; combining separate elements: In logic and philosophy, a synthetic proposition is one whose truth is determined by how it relates to facts in the world, not purely by the definitions of its words. More broadly, it describes a method of reasoning or a science that builds up complex ideas from simpler parts.
   • (In linguistics) Formed by combining elements: A synthetic language or word form uses affixes (like prefixes or suffixes) combined with a root to express grammatical relationships.

2. Noun:

   • A man-made compound: A synthetic is a substance, especially a fiber, plastic, or chemical, produced by artificial chemical synthesis rather than being obtained from nature.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The jacket is made from a synthetic fabric that repels water. (Describing an artificial material.)
  • Philosophers distinguish between analytic and synthetic statements. (Describing a type of logical proposition.)
  • His apology seemed synthetic and insincere. (Describing something not genuine or natural in feeling.)
• Noun:
  • This cleaner is a powerful synthetic made in a laboratory. (Referring to a man-made chemical compound.)

Advanced Usage

• Synthetic biology: A field of science that involves redesigning organisms for useful purposes by engineering them to have new abilities.
  • Synthetic biology aims to create synthetic genomes for medical applications.
• Synthetic a priori: A philosophical term for a proposition that is known to be true independently of experience (a priori) but whose predicate is not contained in the subject (synthetic).
  • Kant argued that "every event has a cause" is a synthetic a priori judgment.

Variants and Related Words

• Synthetically (adverb): In an artificial or man-made manner.
  • The diamond was produced synthetically.
• Synthesis (noun): The combination of components to form a connected whole.
  • The synthesis of data from multiple studies confirmed the hypothesis.
• Synthesize (verb): To combine elements to form a whole; to produce a substance by chemical synthesis.
  • The chemist worked to synthesize a new polymer.

Synonyms

• Artificial: Made by human skill; not natural.
• Man-made: Manufactured or created by people.
• Fabricated: Constructed or invented, often with a connotation of being false.
• Counterfeit: Made in imitation with intent to deceive.

Antonyms

• Natural: Existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind.
• Genuine: Truly what something is said to be; authentic.
• Organic: Relating to or derived from living matter; (in chemistry) relating to carbon compounds.
• Analytic: (In philosophy) True by virtue of the meaning of the words alone.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Synthetic leather: A material designed to look and feel like genuine leather but made from synthetic polymers.
  • The car seats are upholstered in high-quality synthetic leather.
• Synthetic fiber: A fiber like nylon or polyester, made from chemical compounds.
  • Most athletic clothing contains synthetic fibers for better moisture management.

Adjective

1. not genuine or natural
   • counterfeit rhetoric that flourishes when passions are synthetic- George Will
2. artificial as if portrayed in a film
   • a novel with flat celluloid characters
3. of a proposition whose truth value is determined by observation or facts
   • `all men are arrogant' is a synthetic proposition
4. systematic combining of root and modifying elements into single words
5. involving or of the nature of synthesis (combining separate elements to form a coherent whole) as opposed to analysis
   • limnology is essentially a synthetic science composed of elements...that extend well beyond the limits of biology- P.S.Welch
6. not of natural origin; prepared or made artificially
   • man-made fibers
   • synthetic leather

Noun

1. a compound made artificially by chemical reactions