any of various synthetic materials that resemble rubber

a type of rubber that is made from petroleum, coal, oil, natural gas, or acetylene

(1) A manufactured or manmade material (e.g. synthetic rubber vs. natural rubber); (2) Any of several elastic substances resembling natural rubber, prepared by the polymerization of butadiene, isoprene, and other unsaturated hydrocarbons. Synthetic rubber is widely used in the fabrication of single-ply roofing membranes.

Elastomer manufactured by a chemical process as distinguished from natural rubber obtained from trees.

Man-made polymer.

Made by polymerizing hydrocarbons; see Neoprene.

Synthetic rubber is any type of artificially made polymer material which acts as an elastomer. An elastomer is a material with the mechanical (or material) property that it can undergo much more elastic deformation under stress than most materials and still return to its previous size without permanent deformation. Synthetic rubber serves as a substitute for natural rubber in many cases, especially when improved material properties are needed.