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Showing results for unnatural. Search instead for antinatural.
Synonyms

unnatural

American  
[uhn-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl] / ʌnˈnætʃ ər əl, -ˈnætʃ rəl /

adjective

  1. contrary to the laws or course of nature.

  2. at variance with the character or nature of a person, animal, or plant.

  3. at variance with what is normal or to be expected.

    the unnatural atmosphere of the place.

    Synonyms:
    aberrant, irregular
  4. lacking human qualities or sympathies; monstrous; inhuman.

    an obsessive and unnatural hatred.

    Synonyms:
    brutal, heartless
  5. not genuine or spontaneous; artificial or contrived.

    a stiff, unnatural manner.

  6. Obsolete. lacking a valid or natural claim; illegitimate.


unnatural British  
/ -ˈnætʃrəl, ʌnˈnætʃərəl /

adjective

  1. contrary to nature; abnormal

  2. not in accordance with accepted standards of behaviour or right and wrong

    unnatural love

  3. uncanny; supernatural

    unnatural phenomena

  4. affected or forced

    an unnatural manner

  5. inhuman or monstrous; wicked

    an unnatural crime

  6. obsolete illegitimate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unnaturally adverb
  • unnaturalness noun

Etymology

Origin of unnatural

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; un- 1, natural

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Your concerns, while probably baffling to many readers, are not unusual, nor are they unnatural.

From MarketWatch

It would mention his role in drafting the Fairfax Resolves at Mount Vernon in 1774, which condemned the slave trade as “wicked cruel and unnatural” and called for putting “an entire Stop” to it.

From The Wall Street Journal

Arthur Julian, a writer on “F Troop,” noted that “real audiences sound phonier than the laugh track. Sometimes they freeze up and act unnatural.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Throughout, she’ll allude to stories of mistreated animals and the Griffith Park fire of 1933, heightening the sense that we are in the presence of unnatural occurrences.

From Los Angeles Times

Their lip movements are typically dictated by fixed rules, which leads to mechanical, unnatural expressions that feel unsettling.

From Science Daily