unnatürlich
unnatural
Not corresponding to nature; artificial, affected, or in a way that is perceived as strange or not normal.
EXAMPLE
Die Farbe ihrer Haare wirkte völlig unnatürlich.
The color of her hair looked completely unnatural.
unnatürlich
unnatural
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Meanings
unnatürlich
unnatural
Behaving in an affected, inauthentic way.
EXAMPLE
Sein Lächeln wirkte gezwungen und unnatürlich.
His smile seemed forced and unnatural.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word consists of the prefix 'un-', which expresses the opposite, and the adjective 'natürlich' (natural). Something that is 'unnatürlich' (unnatural) is therefore 'not natural'.
EXAMPLE
Die unnatürliche Stille im Wald machte ihm Angst.
The unnatural silence in the forest frightened him.
Context clue
You can often recognize the meaning from context: If 'unnatürlich' (unnatural) refers to things, colors, materials, or movements, it usually means 'artificial'. If it refers to human behavior such as smiling or speaking, it means more like 'affected' or 'inauthentic'.
EXAMPLE
Der Joghurt hatte einen unnatürlich süßen Geschmack.
The yogurt had an unnaturally sweet taste.
Typical collocations
When referring to affected behavior, 'unnatürlich' (unnatural) is often combined with verbs of expression. Typical examples are 'unnatürlich lächeln' (to smile unnaturally), 'unnatürlich klingen' (to sound unnatural), or 'sich unnatürlich verhalten' (to behave unnaturally).
EXAMPLE
Als er lügen musste, klang seine Stimme plötzlich unnatürlich hoch.
When he had to lie, his voice suddenly sounded unnaturally high.
Compare with
unnatürlich vs künstlich
artificial
Künstlich and unnatürlich can both describe an impression that is not spontaneous or genuine. Künstlich usually emphasizes that something seems deliberately put on or imitated; unnatürlich can also simply seem unusual or strained. Use künstlich when something clearly seems affected, and unnatürlich for an impression that merely seems strange.
unnatürlich
Nach der Behandlung wirkte sein Lächeln etwas unnatürlich.
After the treatment, his smile seemed somewhat unnatural.
künstlich
Für das Foto setzte sie ein künstliches Lächeln auf.
For the photo, she put on an artificial smile.
In real life
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