naturalistic

adjective

ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-ˈli-stik How to pronounce naturalistic (audio)
variants also naturalist
Definition of naturalisticnext
as in realistic
closely resembling the object imitated the movie's volcanic eruption is so naturalistic that it's easy to forget that it all came out of a computer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of naturalistic The lighting is somewhere between fantasy and noir, all moody shadows and otherworldly mists, precise and in no way naturalistic. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 July 2026 For as dutifully naturalistic as the setups are, the film occasionally takes on the feel of a stage play, where its latticework of accents, syntaxes, and acting styles are allowed to accentuate something other than strict verisimilitude. — Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026 The traditional Marxist framework may explain why Flaubert, the conflicted son of a successful provincial surgeon, wrote naturalistic novels mocking the grandiose aspirations of the rural bourgeoisie, Sartre conceded. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026 Ghosh is right to argue that naturalistic narratives are not up to the urgent task of depicting our unstable moment. — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for naturalistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naturalistic
  1. realistic
  2. living
  3. natural
  4. lifelike
  5. three-dimensional
Adjective
  • Keeping him and his elite scoring ability would give the Red Wings a much more realistic ability to compete in the near future.
    — Max Bultman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The states’ lawyers had signaled roughly $200 billion was a more realistic target at trial.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of realistic
Adjective
  • For now, Rooral only operates in Benarraba, but similar programs are starting to pop up across Spain—like Anceu, which offers a rural co-living program in Galicia.
    — Liz Provencher, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • At the time, Rice was an account executive for PadSplit, an online co-living rental marketplace, where users can rent rooms in shared living spaces.
    — Diamy Wang August 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of living
Adjective
  • The instruments can move with greater flexibility than the human hand, while the system filters out natural hand tremors that could affect delicate movements.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • If there isn’t an official audiobook, the PocketBook Q’s natural-sounding Text-to-Speech function will read any text file aloud for you.
    — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of natural
Adjective
  • This Nebula Capsule 3 projector delivers an impressive experience with 300 ANSI Lumens of brightness in 1080p, making your movies and TV shows feel lifelike.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But among those drawing the most attention were humanoid robots with lifelike faces, promoted for emotional care.
    — E. Eduardo Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of lifelike
Adjective
  • During an operation, a surgeon controls robotic arms fitted with small instruments while viewing the surgical area through a three-dimensional vision system.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • David Nussbaum, founder of Proto Hologram in Los Angeles, is helping Sadhguru create a three-dimensional AI avatar that appears in a display box and can interact with devotees in several languages.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of three-dimensional

Browse Nearby Words

naturalism
naturalistic
naturalize
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Cite this Entry

“Naturalistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naturalistic. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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