social realism

American  

Or Social Realism

noun

1. a style of painting, especially of the 1930s in the U.S., in which the scenes depicted typically convey a message of social or political protest edged with satire.

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social realism British  

noun

1. the use of realist art, literature, etc as a medium for social or political comment

2. another name for socialist realism

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Other Word Forms

• social realist noun

Example Sentences

With their mix of social realism, symbolism and pure escapism, the movies of 1939 embody the same themes that kept audiences flocking to the cinema and other forms of entertainment throughout the decade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

For most of its run time, Bird offers social realism, excellent acting performances, moments of humour and complicated characters - not least the caring but flawed Bailey.

From BBC • Oct. 19, 2024

Gunn goes for a gritty, dim look to give the film the air of authentic social realism.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 21, 2024

Still, although the painting style of social realism was prevalent in the WPA, all artists found they were no longer outsiders.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2023

But he struggled to fuse it with social realism, with which it is radically incompatible.

From Character and Opinion in the United States by Santayana, George