variants
also naturalist
as in realistic
closely resembling the object imitated
the movie's volcanic eruption is so naturalistic that it's easy to forget that it all came out of a computer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of naturalistic
While everyday devices bombard us with notifications, calm technology defaults to the minimum necessary notifications and more naturalistic design.
—
Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
Zack King is a standout with his likable, naturalistic performance as Leo, the smartest, most mature and selfless member of the friend group.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
Hikari’s beautiful, naturalistic style also perfectly suits this story.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
Advertisement While most fish-out-of-water stories are keen to highlight the strangeness of the world in which the protagonist has embedded themselves, Rental Family treats the curios of Japanese culture with the utmost respect and a naturalistic approach.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naturalistic
Gwendolyn Rak, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Dec. 2025
Zack King is a standout with his likable, naturalistic performance as Leo, the smartest, most mature and selfless member of the friend group.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
Hikari’s beautiful, naturalistic style also perfectly suits this story.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
Advertisement While most fish-out-of-water stories are keen to highlight the strangeness of the world in which the protagonist has embedded themselves, Rental Family treats the curios of Japanese culture with the utmost respect and a naturalistic approach.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for naturalistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naturalistic
Adjective
-
Given Detroit’s position atop the East, the possibility of seeking to just improve along the margins is realistic, especially considering the financial flexibility the team is looking to maintain this offseason.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
All that is required is for the backbone of the Revolutionary Guards to break—and this is not a fantasy, but a realistic possibility.—
Shahrnush Parsipur,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
While 10 mice died and some flies didn’t survive, most of the animals came back alive, giving scientists valuable insight into how living organisms cope with spaceflight.—
Monisha Ravisetti,
Space.com,
27 Dec. 2025
-
In a breakthrough that reimagines how living tissue can drive machines, researchers at MIT have developed artificial tendons made from tough, flexible hydrogel.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Humanoid endures freeze Unitree has staged a high-profile demonstration of its G1 humanoid robot’s ability to operate in some of the harshest natural conditions on Earth, sending the biped into the deep freeze of China’s far northwest.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The sneckdown is the snow that builds up on parts of the street that cars don’t use, acting as a natural curb extension.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Robots that visibly react to physical stress or impact can appear more responsive and lifelike, even when no emotional experience is involved.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The lifelike super yacht will measure 264 feet in length, 96 feet in width and50 feet tall at its highest point.—
Sportico Staff,
Sportico.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Although my normal size fit well (with enough space in the toe box for comfort, sans sloppiness), the clunky-looking shoe lacked the more tailored, three-dimensional build of pricier shoes.—
Maggie Slepian,
Outside,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Instead of dotting the same black scrim, like pinholes in a two-dimensional theater backdrop, the stars were scattered through space at dramatically varying distances, a vast swarm of them filling every last corner of an even vaster, more numinous, and emphatically three-dimensional darkness.—
Michael Pollan,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Naturalistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naturalistic. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
