factitious

Made, not natural

Factitious means artificially created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously.

A factitious demand is manufactured through marketing rather than genuine need.

Factitious enthusiasm is performed, not felt.

The word carries a note of criticism—something factitious lacks authenticity: The controversy seemed factitious, ginned up by political operatives.

Not to be confused with fictitious, which means imaginary or invented.

medical

Munchausen

Pathological liar archetype

self-inducedCaused by oneself
self-inflictedCaused by oneself
psychosomaticMind-induced bodily illness

malingering · simulated · feigned · iatrogenic · fabricated · induced · symptomatic · disorder

deceptive

sham

Fraudulent imitation

fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
bogusCounterfeit or fraudulent
phonyFraudulent person or thing

spurious · counterfeit · fake · false · deceitful · misleading · duplicitous · disingenuous · pretended · feigned

artificial

fabricated

Invented, not real

man-madeCreated by humans
syntheticProduced artificially, not natural
engineeredDesigned with technical precision

constructed · produced · assembled · contrived · invented · created · designed · devised · unnatural · processed

forced

contrived

Deliberately manufactured, unnatural

strainedUnder uncomfortable tension
stiltedUnnaturally formal in expression
unnaturalContrary to normal order

awkward · affected · stiff · labored · artificial · studied · mannered · calculated · staged · orchestrated

Opposites

authenticity/genuineness

factitiousgenuine

Truly what it claims

authentic · real · natural · true · bona fide

spontaneity/naturalness

factitiousspontaneous

Arising without external cause

natural · unforced · effortless · instinctive · organic

Family

fact, fashion, factory, factor, factors, feat, factual, manufacture, artifact

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G