as in realism
realistic depiction in art and literature
if audiences ever got the literalism they claim they want in movies, they'd be fast asleep by the second reel
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Recent Examples of literalism
The larger point here is that the new justice and the governor are strong advocates of literalism and originalism — legal doctrines holding that constitutions and laws should be read precisely as the authors wrote and understood them.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Eschewing dull literalism, the bold illustrations lend imaginative flair to the warm, lived-in look of Pye’s production design.
—David Benedict, Variety, 30 Nov. 2025
Gilmour’s set, that pile of versatile luggage, has the right idea of allowing us in the audience to imagine the magical city the show’s characters keep describing without ruining it with the literalism of giant 30 Rockefeller Plaza set pieces or, worse, a huge screen.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2025
This literalism extends across the entire picture.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literalism
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Eschewing dull literalism, the bold illustrations lend imaginative flair to the warm, lived-in look of Pye’s production design.
—David Benedict, Variety, 30 Nov. 2025
Gilmour’s set, that pile of versatile luggage, has the right idea of allowing us in the audience to imagine the magical city the show’s characters keep describing without ruining it with the literalism of giant 30 Rockefeller Plaza set pieces or, worse, a huge screen.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2025
This literalism extends across the entire picture.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literalism
Noun
-
The two chapters on machine realism, for instance, reference his and Kate Crawford’s viral 2019 project ImageNet Roulette, which invited users to upload images of themselves that ImageNet would then label.—
Louis Bury,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
-
The team zeroed in on realism by tapping nine models to create 18 of the mannequins, while the other seven were designed to represent different figures, including a pregnant body and a thin male body, but aren't based on real individuals.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Noun
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In this delightful piece of armchair naturalism, Henion’s goal is to change our vilification of darkness, to see it instead as a restorative balm, and to stoke curiosity about nocturnal landscapes and creatures.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Spontaneity and naturalism characterize much of the album, even on songs by artists not necessarily known for those qualities.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
Video
Literally
A word that (literally) drives people nuts
Cite this Entry
“Literalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/literalism. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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