naturalistic

adjective

nat·​u·​ral·​is·​tic ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-ˈli-stik 

variants or less commonly naturalist

ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-list 

: of, characterized by, or according with naturalism

naturalistically

ˌna-ch(ə-)rə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• lifelike
• living
• natural
• near
• photo-realistic
• realistic
• three-dimensional

Examples of naturalistic in a Sentence

The zoo strives to create naturalistic settings for the animals.

the movie's volcanic eruption is so naturalistic that it's easy to forget that it all came out of a computer

Recent Examples on the Web

Jack Clayton’s 1974 adaptation, starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, comes closest to finding the balance, pitting dingy ’70s grays and a naturalistic camera against Redford at his most shiningly charismatic as Gatsby. —Constance Grady, Vox, 7 Mar. 2025

Coincidentally, the same can be said about spring’s biggest fragrance trends this year, from the powerful, intense iterations of classic eau de parfums launching at the start of the season to the fresher, more naturalistic fruity and floral scents hitting shelves toward the end. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 3 Mar. 2025

This leafy arrangement is naturalistic and shows off the tulips' upright stems. —Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Feb. 2025

Nest Santa Barbara Strawberry Fragrance Mist Nest has made a name for itself with naturalistic scents available in perfumes, oils and now body mists. —Bea McMonagle, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for naturalistic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antagonistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• characteristic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic