To obtain a synthetic adsorbent excellent in the selective adsorbing capacity of organic matter and suitable for adsorbing and recovering or removing organic matter in an aqueous solution.

This synthetic adsorbent is obtained from a polymer which is obtained from 0-95 mol % of a monovinyl monomer and 5-100 mol % of a divinyl monomer, wherein at least a part of the monovinyl monomer and the divinyl monomer is a vinyl substituted monomer of a polycyclic aromatic compound such as biphenyl, naphthalene, or the like, and a crosslinking degree represented by the polycyclic aromatic divinyl monomer/total monomer is 5 mol %, or more, and has a specific surface area of 50 m2/g or more.