natural

/ˈnætʃərəl/

/ˈnætʃrəl/

Other forms: naturals

Natural describes something that comes from nature, rather than being man-made. Your healthy friend who only eats natural food will probably choose carrots instead of potato chips for a snack.

The adjective natural is a common word with a lot of meanings. It describes anything that comes from nature, but it also means "inborn" when you describe your basketball-star friend as a natural athlete. You can also use it to talk about someone being at ease ("he tried to act natural when the police passed by") or to mean "inevitable," as when you say, "It's only natural that those two ended up getting married."

Definitions of natural
  1. adjective
    in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
    “a very natural development”
    “our natural environment”
    “natural science”
    “natural resources”
    “natural cliffs”
    “natural phenomena”
    Synonyms:
    earthy
    not far removed from or suggestive of nature
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    Antonyms:
    unnatural
    not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature
    affected
    acted upon; influenced
    violent
    effected by force or injury rather than natural causes
    supernatural
    not existing in nature or subject to explanation according to natural laws; not physical or material
    paranormal
    not in accordance with scientific laws
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    existing in or produced by nature; not artificial or imitation
    “a natural pearl”
    “natural gas”
    “natural silk”
    “natural blonde hair”
    “a natural sweetener”
    “natural fertilizers”
    Synonyms:
    unbleached, uncolored, undyed
    not artificially colored or bleached
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    Antonyms:
    artificial, unreal
    contrived by art rather than nature
    counterfeit, imitative
    not genuine; imitating something superior
    arranged, staged
    deliberately arranged for effect
    bionic
    having particular physiological functions augmented or replaced by electronic or electromechanical components
    bleached, colored, coloured, dyed
    (used of color) artificially produced; not natural
    cardboard, unlifelike
    without substance
    celluloid, synthetic
    artificial as if portrayed in a film
    conventionalised, conventionalized, stylised, stylized
    using artistic forms and conventions to create effects; not natural or spontaneous
    dummy
    having the appearance of being real but lacking capacity to function
    ersatz, substitute
    artificial and inferior
    factitious
    not produced by natural forces; artificial or fake
    fake, false, faux, imitation, simulated
    not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
    man-made, semisynthetic, synthetic
    not of natural origin; prepared or made artificially
    near
    closely resembling the genuine article
    painted
    lacking substance or vitality as if produced by painting
    unreal
    lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria
    show more antonyms...
  3. adjective
    (used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
    “natural yogurt”
    “natural produce”
    synonyms: raw, rude
    unprocessed
    not altered from an original or natural state
  4. adjective
    existing in or in conformity with nature or the observable world; neither supernatural nor magical
    “a perfectly natural explanation”
    Synonyms:
    physical
    according with material things or natural laws (other than those peculiar to living matter)
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    Antonyms:
    supernatural
    not existing in nature or subject to explanation according to natural laws; not physical or material
    apparitional, ghostlike, ghostly, phantasmal, spectral, spiritual
    resembling or characteristic of a phantom
    eerie
    suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
    eldritch, uncanny, unearthly, weird
    suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
    elfin, fey
    suggestive of an elf in strangeness and otherworldliness
    charming, magic, magical, sorcerous, witching, wizard, wizardly
    possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers
    marvellous, marvelous, miraculous
    being or having the character of a miracle
    metaphysical
    without material form or substance
    necromantic
    given to or produced by or used in the art of conjuring up the dead
    nonnatural, otherworldly, preternatural, transcendental
    existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
    talismanic
    possessing or believed to possess magic power especially protective power
    transmundane
    existing or extending beyond the physical world
    witchlike
    being or having the character of witchcraft
    unreal
    lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria
    show more antonyms...
  5. adjective
    functioning or occurring in a normal way; lacking abnormalities or deficiencies
    “it's the natural thing to happen”
    “natural immunity”
    “a grandparent's natural affection for a grandchild”
    Synonyms:
    normal
    conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal
  6. adjective
    free from artificiality
    “a natural reaction”
    synonyms: lifelike
    unaffected
    free of artificiality; sincere and genuine
  7. adjective
    unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct
    “a cat's natural aversion to water”
    synonyms: instinctive
    self-generated, spontaneous
    happening or arising without apparent external cause
  8. adjective
    (of a musical note) being neither raised nor lowered by one chromatic semitone
    “a natural scale”
    “B natural”
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    Antonyms:
    sharp
    (of a musical note) raised in pitch by one chromatic semitone
    flat
    (of a musical note) lowered in pitch by one chromatic semitone
    show more antonyms...
  9. noun
    a notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
    synonyms: cancel
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    type of:
    musical notation
    (music) notation used by musicians
  10. adjective
    related by blood; not adopted
    Synonyms:
    biological
    of parents and children; related by blood
  11. adjective
    being talented through inherited qualities
    “a natural leader”
    synonyms: born, innate
    intelligent
    having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
  12. noun
    someone regarded as certain to succeed
    “he's a natural for the job”
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    type of:
    achiever, succeeder, success, winner
    a person with a record of successes
  13. noun
    (craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake
    see moresee less
    type of:
    cast, roll
    the act of throwing dice
Pronunciation
US

/ˈnætʃərəl/
UK

/ˈnætʃrəl/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘natural'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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