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

Cinematographer David Bauer’s nimble-footed lensing and use of natural light does indeed hark back considerably to the look of those Dogme 95 movies back in the day, as does the naturalistic editing style deployed by Louis Emil Ramm Seeberg. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

From our patio, a path takes you through naturalistic plantings under an arch that would act as a threshold to a vine maple against the far fence. — Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2026

The female gaze Few women photographed Monroe, and there’s a stark contrast between Arnold’s naturalistic, candid style and the more flirtatious interplay of her male counterparts. — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 3 June 2026

Its naturalistic appearance pairs well with grasses, sedums, and spring bulbs. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 May 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