authentic
adjective
au·then·tic
ə-ˈthen-tik 
ȯ-
2
: true to one's own personality, spirit, or character
is sincere and authentic with no pretensions
3
a
: worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact
paints an authentic picture of our society
b
: conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features
an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse
c
: made or done the same way as an original
authentic Mexican fare
4
a
of a church mode
: ranging upward from the keynote compare plagal sense 1
b
of a cadence
: progressing from the dominant chord to the tonic compare plagal sense 2
5
obsolete
: authoritative
Synonyms
Examples of authentic in a Sentence
In 1879 expert opinion was unanimous in rejecting Sautuola's timid suggestion that the ceiling paintings in his family's cave were made by the same prehistoric hunters whose stone and bone artifacts he had been collecting from the cave floor. He was accused of forgery and not until 1902, when discovery of similar paintings in several French caves supported Sautuola's claim, did experts agree that they were authentic relics of Paleolithic times.
—
William H. McNeill, New York Review, 19 Oct. 2006
"If I did authentic Japanese food here, no one would understand," says Masaharu Morimoto, whose idiosyncratic creations dazzle as many as 300 diners a night at his eponymous Philadelphia restaurant. "Anything I do here is going to be an Americanization of Japanese cuisine." The ponytailed Morimoto of Iron Chef fame has been expanding the boundaries of Japanese cuisine his entire career, starting at his own sushi bar in Hiroshima, Japan …
—Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2005
But before we could leave, the old guy had to have his pint with the regulars at the Regulator. Part of his routine. All the staff were from Ireland (the real Ireland), and all the walls were paneled with authentic oak.
—Michael Kandel, Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November 2004
According to Lia, the document seems authentic, though she emphasizes that it contains no specific attack orders …
—Aparisim Ghosh, Time, 22 Mar. 2004
We saw authentic examples of ancient Roman sculpture.
Experts have confirmed that the signature on the letter is authentic.
The witness provided an authentic record of what actually took place.
She prepared a very authentic Mexican meal.
The building is an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse.
William H. McNeill, New York Review, 19 Oct. 2006
"If I did authentic Japanese food here, no one would understand," says Masaharu Morimoto, whose idiosyncratic creations dazzle as many as 300 diners a night at his eponymous Philadelphia restaurant. "Anything I do here is going to be an Americanization of Japanese cuisine." The ponytailed Morimoto of Iron Chef fame has been expanding the boundaries of Japanese cuisine his entire career, starting at his own sushi bar in Hiroshima, Japan …
—Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2005
But before we could leave, the old guy had to have his pint with the regulars at the Regulator. Part of his routine. All the staff were from Ireland (the real Ireland), and all the walls were paneled with authentic oak.
—Michael Kandel, Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November 2004
According to Lia, the document seems authentic, though she emphasizes that it contains no specific attack orders …
—Aparisim Ghosh, Time, 22 Mar. 2004
We saw authentic examples of ancient Roman sculpture.
Experts have confirmed that the signature on the letter is authentic.
The witness provided an authentic record of what actually took place.
She prepared a very authentic Mexican meal.
The building is an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sweet & Sour thoughtfully explores the professional complications and practical realities that couples inevitably confront, which should strike an authentic note for anyone trying to navigate romance in the modern world.
—Megan Vick, EW.com, 28 Sep. 2024
The director wanted to capture Callas’ life story in an authentic way through Jolie.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2024
Thanks to scenic reproductions, authentic objects, memorabilia and three-dimensional views, visitors can get to know the complete story of the infamous Titanic.
—Andrea Onate, WWD, 26 Sep. 2024
The Berkshires might not be the first place that comes to mind for authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, but Pizzeria Boema has perfected the art of the super-crispy crust.
—Oset Babür-Winter, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for authentic 
Megan Vick, EW.com, 28 Sep. 2024
The director wanted to capture Callas’ life story in an authentic way through Jolie.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2024
Thanks to scenic reproductions, authentic objects, memorabilia and three-dimensional views, visitors can get to know the complete story of the infamous Titanic.
—Andrea Onate, WWD, 26 Sep. 2024
The Berkshires might not be the first place that comes to mind for authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, but Pizzeria Boema has perfected the art of the super-crispy crust.
—Oset Babür-Winter, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for authentic
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'authentic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Authentic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authentic. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
authentic
adjective
au·then·tic
ə-ˈthent-ik
ȯ-
1
: being really what it seems to be : genuine
authentic examples of Viking jewelry
2
: made to be or look just like an original
authentic colonial costumes
authentic French-style mustard
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