Definition of «uncanny valley»

"Uncanny valley" refers to a feeling of unease or revulsion experienced when a human-like figure or image looks almost, but not quite, perfectly human. In contemporary slang, it is often applied to celebrities who have had significant cosmetic surgery or to digital effects that look slightly "off" in a disturbing way. The term describes the specific point where a resemblance becomes creepy rather than convincing, triggering a natural rejection response in the viewer. It is frequently used in online film and fashion criticism to describe aesthetics that feel unnatural or artificial.

"Uncanny valley" is a colloquialism used to describe the unsettling or eerie feeling experienced when a human-like figure—whether through CGI, plastic surgery, or AI—looks almost real but is slightly 'off' in a way that causes revulsion. In internet discourse, it is frequently applied to criticize poor visual effects in movies or to comment on the altered physical appearance of celebrities. The term highlights a psychological threshold where a near-perfect imitation of humanity becomes more disturbing than a clearly fake one. It is often used to express discomfort with modern digital de-aging or significant cosmetic changes in actors.