as in smoothness
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Recent Examples of artificiality
No matter the role, that toughness was always there, a desire to push against the artificiality of acting to get at something true and lived-in within his characters.
—
Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
Like their future disciples in PC Music, Scritti Politti were giddy pop fans who approached the form as self-conscious outsiders, foregrounding its artificiality, pushing its bright colors to new extremes, aiming to make great pop records that also asked probing questions about what pop even is.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
There’s an artificiality to the narration that is somewhat mirrored in the direction by Oldroyd and Anja Marquardt.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
That level of eye-deceiving detail falters in wide shots, however, some of which suffer from unflattering flat lighting that in certain instances recall computer screensavers of yore, given their colorful artificiality.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
The films that manage to handle magic well either fully embrace their own artificiality (think Nightmare Alley or Santa Sangre) or delight in exposing the machinery of how the tricks work (think The Prestige).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Instead, through the course of this play, the artificiality of 19th-century marital courting and the exaggerated heroism of war are gradually stripped away, allowing the characters’ true voices, true callings and true partners to eventually emerge.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
Like their future disciples in PC Music, Scritti Politti were giddy pop fans who approached the form as self-conscious outsiders, foregrounding its artificiality, pushing its bright colors to new extremes, aiming to make great pop records that also asked probing questions about what pop even is.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
There’s an artificiality to the narration that is somewhat mirrored in the direction by Oldroyd and Anja Marquardt.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
That level of eye-deceiving detail falters in wide shots, however, some of which suffer from unflattering flat lighting that in certain instances recall computer screensavers of yore, given their colorful artificiality.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Dec. 2025
The films that manage to handle magic well either fully embrace their own artificiality (think Nightmare Alley or Santa Sangre) or delight in exposing the machinery of how the tricks work (think The Prestige).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Instead, through the course of this play, the artificiality of 19th-century marital courting and the exaggerated heroism of war are gradually stripped away, allowing the characters’ true voices, true callings and true partners to eventually emerge.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for artificiality
Noun
-
Shinomiya’s sensibility — steeped in painterly craft and handmade ideosycracy, resistant to digital smoothness — lends the film a tactile quality that mirrors its thematic preoccupation with craftsmanship, ritual and reverence for the old ways.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Remember that smoothness is not insight and eloquence is not evidence of understanding.—
Walter Quattrociocchi,
Scientific American,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Premiering in 2004, Project Runway was instrumental in ushering in a new style of reality competition based on skill rather than duplicity and cynicism.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Despite his layered duplicity, Jonathan understands and defines himself by courting risk.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Now Claude knew that Claude had a propensity for fakery.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
What would be the point of them doing obvious fakery?—
Brad Templeton,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Below, shop our nine favorite formulas that a suit a range of concerns, from oiliness and hair loss, to dryness and dandruff.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Medium-full, with impressive concentration and excellent ripeness; there is a slight oiliness on the palate, along with very good acidity and significant persistence.—
Tom Hyland,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The self-conscious aspiration to hipness here is unfortunate and decidedly not cool, but some may find such affectations quaint.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Artificiality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/artificiality. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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