naturalism

noun nat·u·ral·ism \ ˈna-chə-rə-ˌli-zəm , ˈnach-rə- \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: naturalism in a Sentence

Definition of naturalism

1 : action, inclination, or thought based only on natural desires and instincts

2 : a theory denying that an event or object has a supernatural significance; specifically : the doctrine that scientific laws are adequate to account for all phenomena

3 : realism in art or literature; specifically : a theory or practice in literature emphasizing scientific observation of life without idealization and often including elements of determinism

See naturalism defined for English-language learners

Examples of naturalism in a Sentence

a major exponent of naturalism, Theodore Dreiser depicted life's harsh realities unflinchingly and without moral judgment

Recent Examples of naturalism from the Web

Tresnjak does this artfully by giving the play a few grandiose theatrical moments while also maintaining an air of nonchalance and naturalism.

— christopher arnott, courant.com, "Apartheid Drama "A Lesson From Aloes" At Hartford Stage Has Powerful, Relevant Message," 29 May 2018
Artistic movements like impressionism, cubism, and naturalism reflected a growing distrust of the eye’s ability to see and know the world.

— allain daigle, The Atlantic, "How the 50-mm Lens Became ‘Normal’," 13 May 2018
The upper and lower floors ramp up the naturalism of the piece, giving us the feeling that characters are truly inhabiting the space.

— andrea simakis, cleveland.com, "Loves, losses of Everyfamily exposed in 'The Humans' (reviews)," 13 Apr. 2018
Aguilera's new found naturalism comes at what seems like the ultimate time.

— jenna rennert, Vogue, "Christina Aguilera—And Her New Makeunder—Will Tour for the First Time in 10 Years," 9 May 2018
There’s a naturalism and complexity to his McEnroe that keeps him from being turned into a caricature.

— alissa wilkinson, Vox, "Borg vs. McEnroe, about the 1980 Wimbledon match, fails to serve up the drama," 12 Apr. 2018
The naturalism of the scene, too, is incredible; the animal seems genuinely hostile before eventually calming down, through whatever feats of movie magic.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "The Rider Is the Best Film of 2018 So Far," 11 Apr. 2018
That the shadowy enemy here is more SPECTRE than SMERSH, in James Bond terms, pulls the plot toward a corniness that clashes with the naturalism of the production.

— robert lloyd, latimes.com, "Spy vs. assassin? It's a pure and perverse matchup in BBC America's 'Killing Eve'," 8 Apr. 2018
Her ability to scale between light comedy and deeper emotional naturalism finds a perfect spotlight in Bujalski's material.

— mark olsen, latimes.com, "Andrew Bujalski's SXSW premiere 'Support the Girls' gives the spotlight to Regina Hall," 14 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'naturalism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.