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
Or rather, their effect is rather blunted: The literalism of the screen doesn’t serve Taffeta’s vision, let alone Mason’s, quite as well as the stage likely did.
—
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 23 June 2025
But, in its literalism, the essay struggles to transcend the form.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
This isn’t the kind of puzzle thriller in which all the elements click into place with a thudding literalism that compliments an attentive eye.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
For decades the insistence on the truth value of rap lyrics was of paramount importance; now, that has run headlong into the literalism of law enforcement interpretation.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for literalism
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 23 June 2025
But, in its literalism, the essay struggles to transcend the form.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
This isn’t the kind of puzzle thriller in which all the elements click into place with a thudding literalism that compliments an attentive eye.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
For decades the insistence on the truth value of rap lyrics was of paramount importance; now, that has run headlong into the literalism of law enforcement interpretation.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for literalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literalism
Noun
-
There are magical realism aspects to the story.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Diaz grew up playing on a dirt pitch located on the verges of South America’s largest coalmine; there is already a magical realism to his story.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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If Mercedes’ Marisol were less melodramatic and more in tune with the naturalism of her castmates, this could be a truly masterful staging.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
10 Oct. 2025
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But the film’s empathy is matter of fact, achieved in part through an almost documentarian naturalism.—
Carrie Battan,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
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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 29 Nov. 2025.
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