Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

slice-of-life

American  
[slahys-uhv-lahyf] / ˈslaɪs əvˈlaɪf /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or being a naturalistic, unembellished representation of real life.

    a play with slice-of-life dialogue.


Etymology

Origin of slice-of-life

1890–95; attributive use of slice of life, translation of French tranche de vie, allegedly coined by dramatist Jean Jullien (1854–1919)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The guests stick to storytelling and slice-of-life material that doesn’t date, which is why the episodes can attract an audience years after being taped.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Years before How to With John Wilson premiered on the same provider, the titular documentarian developed his distinct slice-of-life observational style through Vimeo-uploaded clips.

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2026

She was soft and complex in Leigh’s sensitive slice-of-life films, supplying the nuance necessary to perform Leigh’s dialogue with the right amount of recognizable benevolence.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2024

But that’s part of the point of this slight-but-engaging slice-of-life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2023

“It’s a very humanistic, character-driven, slice-of-life story,” Lucy DeVito said.

From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2023

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "slice-of-life" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com