naturalistic

adjective

nat·​u·​ral·​is·​tic ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-ˈli-stik How to pronounce naturalistic (audio)
variants or less commonly naturalist
Synonyms of naturalisticnext
: of, characterized by, or according with naturalism
naturalistically adverb

Examples of naturalistic in a Sentence

The zoo strives to create naturalistic settings for the animals. the movie's volcanic eruption is so naturalistic that it's easy to forget that it all came out of a computer
Recent Examples on the Web
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Masri’s drumming is lithe and spacious even at its most aggressive; just as Alcorn’s guitar slides move with a gravity-defying, naturalistic force, his attacks seem to sprout out of each other independently, emerging in thickets. H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2026 The result is a joyful and naturalistic celebration of the term’s many meanings and manifestations. Emma Specter, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026 But Moura gives a brilliant, naturalistic, but subtle performance, and many voters may not have sampled this one. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 23 Feb. 2026 The film’s heart is in its naturalistic lead performances. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for naturalistic

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of naturalistic was in 1838

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Cite this Entry

“Naturalistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naturalistic. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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