as in impressionistic
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Recent Examples of expressionistic
The gap between that description and the surreal, personally expressionistic film up on the screen, however, could not be wider.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2026
Bryan Fuller’s expressionistic procedural is ostentatiously gruesome, yes, but the increasingly disturbing interplay between Will and Hannibal — cat and mouse, will-they/won’t they — is a full course meal on its own.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
The production works best when the play’s expressionistic flourishes invite theatergoers to consider more deeply the subjective experiences and societal subtexts that are being externalized.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Like a director manning a film dolly, Kehlmann pans from one perspective to another—including those of Greta Garbo and Louise Brooks, two glamorous actors whom Pabst discovered—to give an expressionistic sense of the people and the forces shaping his life.
—The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2025
In nearly all these cases, there remains a sense of the uncanny, which makes the more recent works in the restaged show noteworthy for their comparably insistent, sometimes expressionistic representation of a warped realism.
—Tim Griffin, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Van Hove and Versweyveld share a sensibility that manages to embrace both expressionistic minimalism and a penchant for showmanship, sometimes in the same setting.
—Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
The first major Frankenstein film liberally adapts the source material, but in lieu of staging the novel as written, James Whale leans into expressionistic production design and Gothic spectacle.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
If earlier iterations of the lesbian vampire film were Gothic and ornate, Nadja is more shoegaze, captured on bleary black-and-white videotape with an expressionistic flair.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2026
Bryan Fuller’s expressionistic procedural is ostentatiously gruesome, yes, but the increasingly disturbing interplay between Will and Hannibal — cat and mouse, will-they/won’t they — is a full course meal on its own.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
The production works best when the play’s expressionistic flourishes invite theatergoers to consider more deeply the subjective experiences and societal subtexts that are being externalized.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Like a director manning a film dolly, Kehlmann pans from one perspective to another—including those of Greta Garbo and Louise Brooks, two glamorous actors whom Pabst discovered—to give an expressionistic sense of the people and the forces shaping his life.
—The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2025
In nearly all these cases, there remains a sense of the uncanny, which makes the more recent works in the restaged show noteworthy for their comparably insistent, sometimes expressionistic representation of a warped realism.
—Tim Griffin, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Van Hove and Versweyveld share a sensibility that manages to embrace both expressionistic minimalism and a penchant for showmanship, sometimes in the same setting.
—Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
The first major Frankenstein film liberally adapts the source material, but in lieu of staging the novel as written, James Whale leans into expressionistic production design and Gothic spectacle.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
If earlier iterations of the lesbian vampire film were Gothic and ornate, Nadja is more shoegaze, captured on bleary black-and-white videotape with an expressionistic flair.
—Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expressionistic
Adjective
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With a blend of atmospheric beatmaking, gauzy harmonies, and impressionistic songwriting, Quiet Light’s music casts a distinct spell, like stumbling upon Imogen Heap in a forest clearing or imagining a Taylor Swift album produced by Harold Budd.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
24 Apr. 2026
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Sickert is showcased here for both his impressionistic instincts and his portrayal of previously taboo art subjects such as prostitutes and the impoverished.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The film is full of gorgeously expressionist black-and-white photography, stunning otherworldly production design, and a subtle sense of foreboding throughout that's one of the best the director has mustered in his illustrious career.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Apr. 2026
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The production is naturalistic, with bits of expressionist neo-noir worked in when a crime is being described.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace appears like a post-impressionist vision, its beige crown backdropped by the freckled green of the Maniyagarh hills.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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Her favorite is the impressionist Musée d'Orsay, which is undergoing renovation through summer 2028 but remains open.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expressionistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expressionistic. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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