naturalistic

adjective

nat·​u·​ral·​is·​tic ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-ˈli-stik 

variants or less commonly naturalist

ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-list 

: of, characterized by, or according with naturalism

naturalistically

ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of naturalistic

• realistic
• living
• natural
• lifelike
• three-dimensional

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

Rey’s directing style keeps the spirit of Mumblecore cinema while bringing it into the immediate present, injecting subtle political commentary into naturalistic scenes. — Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

The later tonal shifts from one mood to the other detract from the film’s more naturalistic vibe, and the first half is much more satisfying. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026

The film by and large follows the edicts of Iranian neorealism, with unobtrusive observations and a naturalistic soundscape. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

The glossy foliage has a soft look perfect for more naturalistic screens. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for naturalistic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antagonistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• characteristic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic