diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AbstractMergedAnnotation.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AbstractMergedAnnotation.java
index 45bf025492..63c7b05a7a 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AbstractMergedAnnotation.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/AbstractMergedAnnotation.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2019 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ abstract class AbstractMergedAnnotation<A extends Annotation> implements MergedA
 		}
 		A synthesized = this.synthesizedAnnotation;
 		if (synthesized == null) {
-			synthesized = createSynthesized();
+			synthesized = createSynthesizedAnnotation();
 			this.synthesizedAnnotation = synthesized;
 		}
 		return synthesized;
@@ -237,7 +237,11 @@ abstract class AbstractMergedAnnotation<A extends Annotation> implements MergedA
 
 	/**
 	 * Factory method used to create the synthesized annotation.
+	 * <p>If the source is an annotation that is not <em>synthesizable</em>, it
+	 * will be returned unmodified.
+	 * <p>Consult the documentation for {@link MergedAnnotation#synthesize()}
+	 * for an explanation of what is considered synthesizable.
 	 */
-	protected abstract A createSynthesized();
+	protected abstract A createSynthesizedAnnotation();
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MergedAnnotation.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MergedAnnotation.java
index ed60e365c3..68422f7ec0 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MergedAnnotation.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MergedAnnotation.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2020 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ package org.springframework.core.annotation;
 import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
 import java.lang.reflect.AnnotatedElement;
-import java.lang.reflect.Proxy;
 import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -481,12 +480,15 @@ public interface MergedAnnotation<A extends Annotation> {
 	/**
 	 * Create a type-safe synthesized version of this merged annotation that can
 	 * be used directly in code.
-	 * <p>The result is synthesized using a JDK {@link Proxy} and as a result may
-	 * incur a computational cost when first invoked.
+	 * <p>The result is synthesized using a JDK {@link java.lang.reflect.Proxy Proxy}
+	 * and as a result may incur a computational cost when first invoked.
+	 * <p>If this merged annotation was created {@linkplain #of(AnnotatedElement, Class, Map)
+	 * from} a map of annotation attributes or default attribute values, those
+	 * attributes will always be synthesized into an annotation instance.
 	 * <p>If this merged annotation was created {@linkplain #from(Annotation) from}
 	 * an annotation instance, that annotation will be returned unmodified if it is
 	 * not <em>synthesizable</em>. An annotation is considered synthesizable if
-	 * one of the following is true.
+	 * it has not already been synthesized and one of the following is true.
 	 * <ul>
 	 * <li>The annotation declares attributes annotated with {@link AliasFor @AliasFor}.</li>
 	 * <li>The annotation is a composed annotation that relies on convention-based
@@ -503,8 +505,8 @@ public interface MergedAnnotation<A extends Annotation> {
 	/**
 	 * Optionally create a type-safe synthesized version of this annotation based
 	 * on a condition predicate.
-	 * <p>The result is synthesized using a JDK {@link Proxy} and as a result may
-	 * incur a computational cost when first invoked.
+	 * <p>The result is synthesized using a JDK {@link java.lang.reflect.Proxy Proxy}
+	 * and as a result may incur a computational cost when first invoked.
 	 * <p>Consult the documentation for {@link #synthesize()} for an explanation
 	 * of what is considered synthesizable.
 	 * @param condition the test to determine if the annotation can be synthesized
diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MissingMergedAnnotation.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MissingMergedAnnotation.java
index caa764caf1..0c7c9abad6 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MissingMergedAnnotation.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/MissingMergedAnnotation.java
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ final class MissingMergedAnnotation<A extends Annotation> extends AbstractMerged
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	protected A createSynthesized() {
+	protected A createSynthesizedAnnotation() {
 		throw new NoSuchElementException("Unable to synthesize missing annotation");
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/TypeMappedAnnotation.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/TypeMappedAnnotation.java
index 06aa93d7d5..d38042b718 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/TypeMappedAnnotation.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/core/annotation/TypeMappedAnnotation.java
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ final class TypeMappedAnnotation<A extends Annotation> extends AbstractMergedAnn
 
 	@Override
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	protected A createSynthesized() {
+	protected A createSynthesizedAnnotation() {
 		if (getType().isInstance(this.rootAttributes) && !isSynthesizable()) {
 			return (A) this.rootAttributes;
 		}