artificiality: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Literary
Quick answer
What does “artificiality” mean?
The quality of being artificial.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of being artificial; not natural, genuine, or sincere.
A mannerism, feature, or element that is contrived, forced, or imitative rather than spontaneous or authentic.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. The word is used in both varieties with the same meaning.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British literary and critical discourse.
Frequency
Low frequency in both varieties, but marginally higher in UK academic texts.
Grammar
How to Use “artificiality” in a Sentence
the artificiality of [something abstract]struck by the artificiality ofVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “artificiality” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The script fails to artfully artificialise the character's emotions.
- (Note: 'artificialise/artificialize' is extremely rare and non-standard)
American English
- They attempted to artificialize the flavor, but it tasted fake.
- (Note: 'artificialize' is extremely rare and non-standard)
adverb
British English
- She smiled artificially for the cameras.
- The dialogue was artificially formal.
American English
- He laughed artificially at the boss's joke.
- Prices were kept artificially high.
adjective
British English
- The plants looked glaringly artificial.
- Her laugh had an artificial quality.
American English
- The cheese tasted artificial.
- He made an artificial attempt to be friendly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in critiques of corporate culture or marketing: 'The artificiality of the brand's eco-friendly campaign was transparent.'
Academic
Common in literary criticism, philosophy, and media studies to discuss constructed realities, performances, or texts.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used to describe situations or behaviours perceived as fake: 'I can't stand the artificiality of those reality TV shows.'
Technical
Used in art theory, aesthetics, and simulation studies to describe the qualities of a man-made or designed object/environment.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “artificiality”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “artificiality”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “artificiality”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'an artificiality') – it's usually uncountable.
- Confusing with 'artificialness' (which is much rarer and not standard).
- Misspelling: 'artificality' (missing the second 'i').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It often carries a negative or critical connotation, implying a lack of authenticity. However, in neutral technical or artistic discussions (e.g., 'the artificiality of virtual worlds'), it can be descriptive without negative judgement.
'Artificiality' is the abstract *quality* of being artificial. 'Artifice' is a related noun that more specifically means a clever trick, device, or cunning stratagem, though it can also refer to cleverness or skill.
No. While theoretically possible, 'artificialness' is very rarely used and sounds non-standard. 'Artificiality' is the correct and established noun form.
In American English, the 't' in '-tity' often becomes a 'flapped t' or 'd-like' sound [ɾ]. So, /ˌɑːr.t̬əˌfɪʃ.iˈæl.ə.t̬i/ where the final 't' is also flapped.
The quality of being artificial.
Artificiality is usually formal, academic, literary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated with this specific noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of ARTIFICIAL + CITY. The feeling you get in a highly designed, man-made city—that's artificiality.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHENTICITY IS NATURAL; ARTIFICIALITY IS MAN-MADE/CONSTRUCTED.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'artificiality' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?