verisimilitude
Seeming to be
Verisimilitude is the appearance of being true or real.
Fiction with verisimilitude feels believable even when depicting impossible events—the details convince you.
The film's verisimilitude made the alien invasion feel disturbingly plausible.
The word often appears in discussions of art, literature, and film, where creating a convincing illusion matters more than literal truth.
Tolerating fiction's implausibilities
- narrativeAccount of events
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
- worldbuildingConstructing imaginary universes for fiction
- characterizationDescribing distinctive qualities
plot · drama · illusion · artifice · craft · stagecraft · theatrical · literary
Outward visible form
- impressionEffect on the mind
- simulationImitation of real processes
- facsimileExact reproduction of original
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
imitation · mimicry · reproduction · likeness · resemblance · approximation · guise · facade
Misleading sensory impression
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- contrivanceClever invention or scheme
- pretenseDeceptive outward show
imitation · simulacrum · facsimile · counterfeit · forgery · fakery · deception · trompe-l'oeil
Recounting events aloud
- fictionImagined narrative work
- characterizationDescribing distinctive qualities
- worldbuildingConstructing imaginary universes for fiction
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
setting · plot · drama · novel · prose · backstory · exposition · foreshadowing
Computer-created interactive environment
- emulationCopying to rival
- modelingSimulating or demonstrating form
- computer-generatedMade by machines, not humans
- digitalOf discrete data
rendering · graphics · 3D · photorealism · motion capture · CGI · uncanny valley · avatar
Truly what it claims
- realTruly existing, not fake
- trueAccurate or loyal
- legitimateConforming to accepted standards
- bona fideAuthentic and sincere
unfeigned · original · veritable · actual · honest · sincere · unaffected · natural
Resembling the real thing
- naturalisticImitating actual appearance
- realisticTrue to life
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
- accurateConforming to fact
vivid · graphic · detailed · representational · mimetic · precise · exact · concrete
Worthy of acceptance
- convincingAble to persuade
- plausibleAppearing worthy of belief
- persuasiveAble to convince others
- believableAble to convince
trustworthy · reasonable · coherent · consistent · logical · sound · tenable · conceivable
Able to convince
- credibleWorthy of acceptance
- plausibleAppearing worthy of belief
- convincingAble to persuade
- probableLikely to occur
likely · feasible · conceivable · persuasive · tenable · reasonable · logical · sound
suspension of disbelief
Tolerating fiction's implausibilities
- narrativeAccount of events
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
- worldbuildingConstructing imaginary universes for fiction
characterization · plot · drama · illusion · artifice · craft · stagecraft · theatrical · literary · cinematic
appearance
Outward visible form
- impressionEffect on the mind
- simulationImitation of real processes
- facsimileExact reproduction of original
replica · imitation · mimicry · reproduction · likeness · resemblance · approximation · guise · facade · veneer
illusion
Misleading sensory impression
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- contrivanceClever invention or scheme
pretense · imitation · simulacrum · facsimile · counterfeit · forgery · fakery · deception · trompe-l'oeil · theatrical
storytelling
Recounting events aloud
- fictionImagined narrative work
- characterizationDescribing distinctive qualities
- worldbuildingConstructing imaginary universes for fiction
dialogue · setting · plot · drama · novel · prose · backstory · exposition · foreshadowing · narrator
virtual reality
Computer-created interactive environment
- emulationCopying to rival
- modelingSimulating or demonstrating form
- computer-generatedMade by machines, not humans
digital · rendering · graphics · 3D · photorealism · motion capture · CGI · uncanny valley · avatar · procedural generation
genuine
Truly what it claims
- realTruly existing, not fake
- trueAccurate or loyal
- legitimateConforming to accepted standards
bona fide · unfeigned · original · veritable · actual · honest · sincere · unaffected · natural · unpretentious
lifelike
Resembling the real thing
- naturalisticImitating actual appearance
- realisticTrue to life
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
accurate · vivid · graphic · detailed · representational · mimetic · precise · exact · concrete · tangible
credible
Worthy of acceptance
- convincingAble to persuade
- plausibleAppearing worthy of belief
- persuasiveAble to convince others
believable · trustworthy · reasonable · coherent · consistent · logical · sound · tenable · conceivable · acceptable
believable
Able to convince
- credibleWorthy of acceptance
- plausibleAppearing worthy of belief
- convincingAble to persuade
probable · likely · feasible · conceivable · persuasive · tenable · reasonable · logical · sound · viable
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, narrative, narrator
- literary termsmetaphor, character analysis, symbolism, prologue, epilogue
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
- realismrealism, representational, figurative, naturalism, realist art
- realism termsaccuracy, authenticity, believability, fidelity, naturalism
- photorealismphotorealism, hyperrealism, superrealism, precision, sharp focus
verisimilitudeimplausibility
State of seeming unlikely
unbelievability · incredibility · improbability · unlikelihood · preposterousness
verisimilitudefantasy
Imaginative mental wandering
absurdity · unrealism · surrealism · artificiality · unnaturalness
verisimilitudefalseness
Absence of truth
falsity · unreality · artificiality · fakeness · inauthenticity
similar, verify, similarity, simulate, semblance, veracious, verity, similitude, verisimilar