Synonym Chooser

How does the noun replica differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of replica are copy, duplicate, facsimile, and reproduction. While all these words mean "a thing made to closely resemble another," 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

When would copy be a good substitute for replica?

The words copy and replica can be used in similar contexts, but copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

When is duplicate a more appropriate choice than replica?

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

a duplicate of a house key

When could facsimile be used to replace replica?

While the synonyms facsimile and replica are close in meaning, facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

Where would reproduction be a reasonable alternative to replica?

In some situations, the words reproduction and replica are roughly equivalent. However, 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 replica The three-minute music video opens with Chet sitting on a park bench in a replica of his father’s costume from the movie, paying tribute to one of its most famous visuals. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2025 Non-functioning guns, as well as BB/pellet guns and replicas can also be redeemed for $25. Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025 Photo : Jeff Brown The Night Lounge The lower-deck night lounge with its starlit ceiling—a replica of the constellations above Rotterdam from the evening of the yacht’s launch—and drop-down TV has a different feel than the rest of the interior. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2025 The replica of the P-51 Mustang was unveiled for the facility last September. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for replica
Recent Examples of Synonyms for replica
Noun
  • The images feature the brand’s ready-to-wear, custom and bespoke suits, the latter of which are available by appointment with the company’s master tailor.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The New Yorker received the National Magazine Award for photography, winning for images illustrating three very distinct stories.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Over 1,300 federal employees impacted by the Department of Education's March 11 reduction in force received their official separation notices Thursday, according to copies reviewed by ABC News.
    Arthur Jones II, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The outlet reported that the Biden administration did send copies of the report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees in December 2022, but the report was never made available online by the administration.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The episode opens with the voiceover and the hero twins reenacting the Ye’iitsoh mythology in a play.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The athlete and model recently sent her only daughter and twin, Lauren Jolie Lockwood, off to prom.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Hess’s book arrives at a historical moment—post-Dobbs, pro-natalist, techno-dystopian—in which both pregnant bodies and the stuff of reproduction itself have come under an extraordinary degree of scrutiny, judgment, and control.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Fruit fly reproduction Fruit fly reproduction can happen quickly.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Isn't Instagram just a TikTok clone at this point anyway?
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Other companies rushed to build clones to attract fleeing users.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These ivory pieces, showing signs of intentional modification, may represent the earliest evidence of deliberate ivory processing, possibly crafted by children as imitations of tools.
    Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
  • People can learn what's acceptable and what's not through observation and imitation, and talking about other people's experiences can act as a warning sign for ourselves.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Having access to this kind of DNA evidence allows for researchers to build a more detailed picture of their lives.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The hospital had also uploaded Millie's picture to the same free platform, which is run by donations.
    Analisa Novak, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • According to the lawsuit, ECE International is reconciling the claims, including identifying duplicate and unsupported claims.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2025
  • For example, after an acquisition, duplicate processes may remain from the two merging organizations, leading to process-organization complexity.
    Stephen Wilson, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Replica.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/replica. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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