as in realism
realistic depiction in art and literature
a major exponent of naturalism, Theodore Dreiser depicted life's harsh realities unflinchingly and without moral judgment
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Recent Examples of naturalism
Those moments of naturalism work better than many of the shots taking place outside of the car, which often use glaringly heavy-handed lighting to insinuate who we’re supposed to see as good and evil.
—
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025
In terms of execution, they can largely be categorized within the realm of cinematic naturalism.
—Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
But the naturalism had a function that went beyond popular accessibility.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
On the one side stood religious fundamentalism with its insistence on a literal reading of scripture and submission to institutional authority; on the other stood scientific naturalism with its insistence that only empirical methods were valid routes to knowledge.
—Ben Woollard, JSTOR Daily, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naturalism
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025
In terms of execution, they can largely be categorized within the realm of cinematic naturalism.
—Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
But the naturalism had a function that went beyond popular accessibility.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
On the one side stood religious fundamentalism with its insistence on a literal reading of scripture and submission to institutional authority; on the other stood scientific naturalism with its insistence that only empirical methods were valid routes to knowledge.
—Ben Woollard, JSTOR Daily, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naturalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naturalism
realism
Noun
-
McPherson’s discursive humanism exactly suits both O’Reilly’s light directorial touch and the confident realism of his company of (largely) Irish actors.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
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No need to hem and haw about the realism of Superman’s caped Labrador retriever.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naturalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naturalism. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.
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