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 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
One thing that struck me about the film was the richness and naturalism to the cinematography and locations.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for naturalism
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
One thing that struck me about the film was the richness and naturalism to the cinematography and locations.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for naturalism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for naturalism
realism
Noun
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Take Samantha Zimmermann, a fine artist whose motorsports realism captures both the technical precision and emotional sensations evoked in racing.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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The fact that any new show like The Pitt can immediately resonate with fans — not to mention the medical world that appreciates the gritty realism — is a bit of a head-scratcher for the team behind the Warner Bros. drama.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Naturalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naturalism. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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