unnatural

adjective

un·​nat·​u·​ral ˌən-ˈna-chə-rəl How to pronounce unnatural (audio)
-ˈnach-rəl
1
: not being in accordance with nature or consistent with a normal course of events
2
a
: not being in accordance with normal human feelings or behavior : perverse
b
: lacking ease and naturalness : contrived
her manner was forced and unnatural
c
: inconsistent with what is reasonable or expected
an unnatural alliance
unnaturally
ˌən-ˈna-chə-rə-lē How to pronounce unnatural (audio)
-ˈnach-rə-
-ˈna-chər-
adverb
unnaturalness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for unnatural

irregular, anomalous, unnatural mean not conforming to rule, law, or custom.

irregular implies not conforming to a law or regulation imposed for the sake of uniformity in method, practice, or conduct.

concerned about his irregular behavior

anomalous implies not conforming to what might be expected because of the class or type to which it belongs or the laws that govern its existence.

her drive made her an anomalous figure in a sleepy organization

unnatural suggests what is contrary to nature or to principles or standards felt to be essential to the well-being of civilized society.

prisoners treated with unnatural cruelty

Examples of unnatural in a Sentence

It seems unnatural to keep the bird in a cage. She has an unnatural obsession with money. Her smile looked forced and unnatural.
Recent Examples on the Web The voiceover was unnatural, some of the people were clearly AI created with that alien-like appearance and other images and videos incorporated had logos because they were obviously taken from other places. Gene Marks, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 For example, portions of Middleton's hair appear to have an unnatural texture, and the zipper on her jacket leads to nowhere. Reece Rogers, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024 These unnatural structures miles out into the Gulf create concentrated ecosystems that include a wide variety of forage species. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 7 Mar. 2024 These unnatural warm days can spell out disaster for the coming season. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Of course, something evil and unnatural is going down in those creepy but beautiful woods, a discovery that Lennon makes in and around her lone tent camp. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 If possible, avoid formal shearing into unnatural square or round shapes. Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2024 His rescuers were unsure if Mark would hibernate at the sanctuary after spending his life enduring unnatural conditions and poor nutrition. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 Further, certain expressions, such as head movements that appear unnatural, could suggest a video is fake, Appel, author of a 2022 study on detecting deepfakes, said. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unnatural.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unnatural was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unnatural

Cite this Entry

“Unnatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unnatural. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unnatural

adjective
un·​nat·​u·​ral ˌən-ˈnach-(ə-)rəl How to pronounce unnatural (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not following nature or a normal course of events
2
a
: not being in agreement with normal feelings or behavior
b
: lacking ease and naturalness
unnaturally
-ˈnach-(ə-)rə-lē How to pronounce unnatural (audio)
-ˈnach-ər-lē
adverb
unnaturalness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unnatural

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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