Synonym Chooser

How does the noun facsimile differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of facsimile are copy, duplicate, replica, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

When is it sensible to use copy instead of facsimile?

In some situations, the words copy and facsimile are roughly equivalent. However, copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When can duplicate be used instead of facsimile?

The synonyms duplicate and facsimile are sometimes interchangeable, but duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

When might replica be a better fit than facsimile?

Although the words replica and facsimile have much in common, replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details, but not always in the same scale.

a replica of the Mayflower
miniature replicas of classic cars

In what contexts can reproduction take the place of facsimile?

While in some cases nearly identical to facsimile, reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

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 facsimile These overtures can make the fan feel special—for a time—but the relationship is ultimately hollow, a mere facsimile of an actual two-way relationship. Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 Working for mediocre Luthor facsimile Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn), Pryor's computer genius Gus Gorman fabricates an artificial kryptonite, which — like the red variant in the comics — turns Superman bad. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 10 July 2025 This isn’t a facsimile of a woman’s wandering mind seen through a speculum by a man, but a deep recounting. Jane Alison june 17, Literary Hub, 17 June 2025 But for Youn Park, whose Little Orbit corner store is located in a facsimile of an old ticket booth at the transportation center, CATS’ decision to end the leases was sad. Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for facsimile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facsimile
Noun
  • There is also an actual mechanical shark that visitors can manipulate, albeit a scale replica.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • One of the new additions to the lobby is a replica of a 1925 chandelier, recreated by artisans from photos that were discovered of the original ornate light fixture.
    Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That’s more than 500 equivalent copies from the period before, with more than 2,400 of those being pure sales.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Calligraphers like Mustapha produce sacred work, such as copies of the Quran, books of religious poetry, and amulets.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hey Alexa, create an image of traders popping champagne in the New York Stock Exchange.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
  • In images taken from the Israel-Gaza border on Tuesday, plumes of smoke could be seen rising above the city, which is the largest in the Gaza Strip.
    Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The findings are changing the way scientists understand ant reproduction, showing that ants can produce individuals of another species as part of their life cycle.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Through pollination, insects enable the reproduction of flowering plants, including many that form the base of food chains or are agriculturally important to humans.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The paper also highlights the potential of digital twins — virtual patient replicas that allow doctors to simulate treatments before applying them in real life.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Cadence has expanded this technology beyond chip design towards creating digital twins of data centers including all the functional components.
    Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In a picture released by the Shin Bet, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Netanyahu’s chief of staff are seen peering over his shoulders.
    Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Think an agent managing a sales pipeline by combining CRM data, support tickets, and financial reports to deliver a full customer picture.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Weaver would return as Ripley in David Fincher's Alien 3 in 1992 and as clones of the character in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Alien Resurrection in 1997, though the Alien franchise has continued on.
    Carson Blackwelder, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
  • But the clues as to what was happening were written on the images, allowing mission personnel to experiment on a clone of the camera, in a laboratory setting.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Both his African heritage and his new exploration of the verisimilitudes and vagaries of New York City life paint the ongoing development of The Watchman, sometimes featured as the key figure as in the monumental portrait, AH!
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Toward the end of the colonial period, portrait photography records yet another cultural shift.
    H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 13 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Facsimile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facsimile. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on facsimile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!