verisimilitude
Americannoun
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the appearance or semblance of truth; genuineness; authenticity.
The play lacked verisimilitude.
-
something, as an assertion, having merely the appearance of truth.
noun
-
the appearance or semblance of truth or reality; quality of seeming true
-
something that merely seems to be true or real, such as a doubtful statement
Etymology
Origin of verisimilitude
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin vērīsimilitūdō, equivalent to vērī (genitive singular of vērum “truth”) + similitūdō similitude
Explanation
Verisimilitude means being believable, or having the appearance of being true. You can improve your play by using the sounds and smells of the beach as well as lots of sand to create verisimilitude. Verisimilitude comes from the Latin verisimilitudo, "likeness to truth" and is used to describe stories. In it, you'll see the word similar, meaning it is similar to what's real. Art that aims for realism seeks verisimilitude. An actual synonym for verisimilitude is truthlikeness. Tell that to your friends, and they'll probably think that your story lacks verisimilitude.
Vocabulary lists containing verisimilitude
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Advanced
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Reading: Literature - Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - High School
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And Then There Were None
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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.
This isn’t only because, as Ms. Whitlum-Cooper and Ms. Tedbury write, Christ’s body is “vehemently real,” but also due to the verisimilitude of his loincloth and the “complex depths of its falls and folds.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
It’s a wild fantasy built on a foundation of painful verisimilitude.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
“It managed to achieve a verisimilitude that would leave any Korean in awe.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2025
Jean-Baptiste has credited this verisimilitude to Leigh’s intensive rehearsal process, where he and his actors work together to create characters from the ground up before shooting ever begins.
From Salon ● Jan. 10, 2025
When he had landed on the roof of his building, he sat for a time, weaving together in his mind a story thick with verisimilitude.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
