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 For those unfamiliar, digital twins in the healthcare context are essentially intricate facsimiles of people in the digital ether, constructed from medical records, biometric signals, genomic data and behavioral patterns. Mika Newton, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025 Her facsimile of Maurizio Cattelan’s $6 million banana taped to a wall won a company prize at the Met. Air Mail, 26 Apr. 2025 French Bloom Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs, $59 Floral, balanced, a pleasant facsimile of blanc de blancs. Eric Asimov, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Her presence here in this bar, a facsimile of every bar Laura had frequented in her twenties, served as a portal back to a period Laura could remember but no longer touch; the scenery was familiarly arranged, but the dreams, sensations, and illusions had vanished. Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for facsimile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facsimile
Noun
  • One of Tim Harmon’s proudest achievements, his son Avi Harmon said, was the creation of the Statue of Liberty Museum, home to more than 600 replicas of Lady Liberty in all sizes.
    Samanta Habashy, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
  • There are replicas of her most beloved pots and utensils, handwritten and typed letters, and other ephemera.
    Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • His 1806 map does not have street names, but a copy kept with the Library of Congress shows numerical markings below all but one of the streets running perpendicular to the Ohio River.
    Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 5 July 2025
  • American Heart Debuts at No. 1 Luminate reports that in its first seven days of availability in the country, American Heart sold 30,000 copies.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • The trailer delivers a snapshot of images and visuals throughout Em’s career while he’s being peppered with popular questions from fans about his personal life, family, music and fame.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 15 July 2025
  • The authenticity of the images has not been confirmed, although Banks aired it all out to the public.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • The 13-inch OLED touch screen is stunning, with fantastic color reproduction and crisp visuals.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025
  • Ross noted that the exhibit includes murals with life-size reproductions of figures that were originally painted smaller.
    Kelly Haramis, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Miami — where the twins grew up and where their mother lives — made a heavy push to keep them home, and was considered a front-runner at various points in their recruitment.
    Brendan Marks, New York Times, 9 July 2025
  • Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence were happy children who shared the kind of bond twins do, but the 8-year-old girls from Dallas were also different from each other.
    Andrew DeMillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • Wednesday at Comerica Park, the Tigers flashed his picture on the video board and officially announced that McKinstry had been selected to replace Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña on the AL All-Star team.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • In terms of your five best pictures, Jaws, Dog Day Afternoon, Barry Lyndon, Nashville, and us — these were auteur-driven, from the talent, the creative side.
    Jordan Hoffman Updated, EW.com, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Movie review: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ is a cold-blooded clone in which wonder has gone extinct.
    Andrew J. Campa Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2025
  • Not a Gundam game trying to be an Overwatch clone, or a shooter with dudes cosplaying as mecha.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The machine can handle everything from ultra-sharp lettering to lifelike portraits.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2025
  • The truth is that Sofia’s job can be taxing, and in The Scout, which premiered in June at the Tribeca Film Festival, González-Nasser, who was herself a location scout for six years, crafts a modest portrait of its complicated reality.
    Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Facsimile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facsimile. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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