verisimilitude

noun

veri·​si·​mil·​i·​tude ˌver-ə-sə-ˈmi-lə-ˌtüd 

-ˌtyüd

1

: the quality or state of being verisimilar

2

: something verisimilar

verisimilitudinous

ˌver-ə-sə-ˌmi-lə-ˈtüd-nəs 

-ˈtyüd-;

-ˈtü-də-nəs, 

-ˈtyü-

adjective

Did you know?

From its roots, verisimilitude means basically "similarity to the truth". Most fiction writers and filmmakers aim at some kind of verisimilitude to give their stories an air of reality. They need not show something actually true, or even very common, but simply something believable. A mass of good details in a play, novel, painting, or film may add verisimilitude. A spy novel without some verisimilitude won't interest many readers, but a fantastical novel may not even attempt to seem true to life.

Synonyms of verisimilitude

• realism

Examples of verisimilitude in a Sentence

the novel's degree of verisimilitude is compromised by 18th-century characters who speak in very 21st-century English

Recent Examples on the Web

The rubber missiles aren't just there for verisimilitude. — David Szondy may 24, New Atlas, 24 May 2026

Whatever your druthers—irony or verisimilitude—there’s probably a poster for you among the 240+ for sale. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026

Transmission isn’t just about verisimilitude. — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026

As always, verisimilitude and the supernatural exist side by side in this tale of the denizens of a boardinghouse in Pittsburgh. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 15 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin vērīsimilitūdō, from vērī similis, vērīsimilis "having the appearance of truth" + -tūdō, suffix of abstract nouns — more at verisimilar

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for verisimilitude

• accrued
• allude
• collude
• conclude
• construed
• debuted
• delude
• elude
• endued
• ensued
• eschewed
• etude

Kids Definition

verisimilitude

noun

veri·​si·​mil·​i·​tude ˌver-ə-sə-ˈmil-ə-ˌt(y)üd 

: the appearance of being true or real