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
But the film’s empathy is matter of fact, achieved in part through an almost documentarian naturalism.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
As for glam, Seyfried’s hair evoked a wild naturalism, with a bevy of flowing curls and plenty of volume.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
The vivid naturalism achieved in these works was not seen for another millennium, and is often more credited to artists living during the late Middle Ages, including Cimabue and Giotto, who laid the groundwork for the Renaissance.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
The Met show opens in the eighteen-eighties, when naturalism flowered in Parisian art schools.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for naturalism
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
As for glam, Seyfried’s hair evoked a wild naturalism, with a bevy of flowing curls and plenty of volume.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
The vivid naturalism achieved in these works was not seen for another millennium, and is often more credited to artists living during the late Middle Ages, including Cimabue and Giotto, who laid the groundwork for the Renaissance.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
The Met show opens in the eighteen-eighties, when naturalism flowered in Parisian art schools.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for naturalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naturalism
realism
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Naturalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naturalism. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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