simulated

/ˈsɪmjəˌleɪtɪd/

A simulated thing pretends to be something it’s not, like a fire drill with fake smoke. Relax, it’s only a simulated emergency, created to feel exactly like the real thing.

Simulated and similar have the same Latin root (similis), and a simulated situation is similar to the original, like a theme park that feels like India when you’re actually in Florida. Emotions can be simulated too, like your simulated sadness when you just want to get out of trouble. The word implies fakeness, but not always in a bad way. A simulated airflight video game can teach you how to fly without the negative side effects of crashing and dying.

Definitions of simulated

1. adjective

   reproduced or made to resemble; imitative in character
   “under simulated combat conditions”

   synonyms:

   imitative

   marked by or given to imitation
2. adjective

   not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
   “a purse of simulated alligator hide”

   synonyms: fake, false, faux, imitation

   artificial, unreal

   contrived by art rather than nature