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Synonyms

real world

American  
[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

noun

  1. the realm of practical or actual experience, as opposed to the abstract, theoretical, or idealized sphere of the classroom, laboratory, etc..

    recent college graduates looking for jobs in the real world of rising unemployment.

Other Word Forms

  • real-world adjective

Etymology

Origin of real world

First recorded in 1960–65

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.

Eliza travels the country looking at how the politics in Washington affect people in the real world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

“He’s not crazy, he only pretends to be” isn’t a viable defense in the real world.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026

Will they have the means to survive out in the real world?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

AI also is good enough to run machines that can interact with the real world.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

He said that he had no use for a wagon in the real world where he was an accountant.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

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.