lifelike

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'lifelike' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe something that looks or feels like it is alive or real. For example, you could say, "The wax sculpture was incredibly lifelike."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It took Framestore four months of work to create the lifelike Audrey Hepburn, for just 60 seconds of advert, and managed it by using a combination of old photographs and a body double to build an accurate CG digital form of everything from her skin to her eyelashes – even going on location to get the lifelike light and shadow.

The Guardian

There is a splendid montage of a 16th-century banquet staged by one of the City livery companies where the geese, once their flesh had been extracted and cooked, were reconstructed as lifelike table decorations in case the guests needed reminding about what they were eating.Street food has been a feature of the cityscape since earliest times, sometimes sold with complementary pleasures.

The Economist

Consumption surveys, which track what people actually spend, sketch a more lifelike portrait of the material quality of life.

The Economist

The big challenge today is figuring how you select, concentrate and assemble all of those molecules into a larger lifelike system, one which starts to make copies of itself.

The Economist

Game reviews routinely refer to the quality of the AI well, what else would you call it?—and some games are renowned for the lifelike quality of their computer opponents.Mr Woodcock says there is now quite a lot of traffic in both directions between AI programmers in the academic and gaming worlds.

The Economist

For most of its history, Islam has had a deep aversion to the lifelike portrayal of animate beings, especially human beings, and above all to the representation of Muhammad, the messenger of God or indeed any of the preceding prophets, such as Nuh (Noah) or Isa (Jesus).

The Economist

Since 2006 Cisco has been selling a system called TelePresence (pictured above, with Mr Chambers holding forth), which turns awkward videoconferences into pretty lifelike encounters.

The Economist

The effect, for viewers a few metres away, is a lifelike, full-sized 3-D moving image of a person that appears to float in space, without any visible screen.Musion's technology has been used by Al Gore, Bill Gates, Prince Charles and many other celebrities to appear on stage at conferences without being physically present.

The Economist

Some synthetic worlds are deliberately escapist; others are designed to be as lifelike and realistic as possible.

The Economist

Plants grow by taking water from the soil, and when a plant dies it frees water which it would otherwise consume.This insight allowed Dr Kealy and Dr Wollkind to create equations that, once plugged into computer simulations of reaction-diffusion processes, produce all manner of lifelike tiger-bush schemes, including the most intricate sort.

The Economist

But its combination with the giant social network is certainly eye-opening.For a long time, gamers have dreamed of wearable headsets that make them feel like they are actually inside lifelike worlds.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing art, use "lifelike" to emphasize the artist's skill in capturing the essence of living beings, exceeding mere realism.

Common error

Avoid using "lifelike" when describing technical simulations or models where accuracy and functionality are more important than visual resemblance. Opt for terms like "accurate" or "precise" instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "lifelike" is as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe their resemblance to living beings or reality. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a commonly used descriptor.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

35%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lifelike" functions as an adjective to describe something closely resembling life or reality. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct and very common across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Encyclopedias. While interchangeable with terms like "realistic", "true to life", or "naturalistic", "lifelike" uniquely emphasizes the imitation of living beings. When using "lifelike", remember to reserve it for situations where the resemblance to living entities is significant, and avoid overuse in technical contexts where accuracy is paramount.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

realistic

Focuses on accurate depiction mirroring reality, similar to "lifelike" but may not necessarily imply being alive.

true to life

Emphasizes faithfulness to real-world experiences and events, highlighting authenticity.

naturalistic

Stresses portrayal of subjects in their natural environment, highlighting realism in art or literature.

栩栩如生

This is a Chinese idiom; it’s best use should be for artistic, literary or descriptions of skills that brings something to “life”.

vivid

Highlights the clarity and intensity of the image or representation, creating a strong impression of reality.

authentic

Stresses genuineness and originality, implying a true representation without artificiality.

mimetic

Focuses on imitation or replication, emphasizing the act of copying reality.

resembling life

Directly indicates a similarity to living beings or the state of being alive, focusing on appearance.

verisimilar

Emphasizes the appearance of being true or real, focusing on plausibility rather than strict accuracy.

uncanny

Focuses on a strange, mysterious, or unsettling feeling due to something being strangely familiar or "lifelike".

FAQs

How can I use "lifelike" in a sentence?

You can use "lifelike" to describe something that closely resembles a living being or real object. For example, "The museum featured a "lifelike wax sculpture" of the historical figure."

What words can I use instead of "lifelike"?

Alternatives include "realistic", "true to life", or "naturalistic" depending on the context. These words all convey a sense of accurate representation but with slightly different nuances.

Is it correct to say something is 'very lifelike'?

Yes, you can use "very" to intensify the adjective "lifelike". For example, "The painting was very lifelike, almost as if the subject could step out of the canvas."

What is the difference between "lifelike" and "realistic"?

"Lifelike" specifically implies resembling living beings or processes, while "realistic" refers to a general accuracy in representing reality, whether animate or inanimate.