realist

American  

[ree-uh-list] / ˈri ə lɪst /

noun

• realists
  plural

1. a person who tends to view or represent things as they really are.

2. an artist or a writer whose work is characterized by realism.

3. Philosophy. an adherent of realism.

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adjective

1. of or relating to realism or to a person who embodies its principles or practices.

   the realist approach to social ills;

   realist paintings.

realist British  

/ ˈrɪəlɪst /

noun

1. a person who is aware of and accepts the physical universe, events, etc, as they are; pragmatist

2. an artist or writer who seeks to represent the familiar or typical in real life rather than an idealized, formalized, or romantic interpretation

3. philosophy a person who accepts realism

4. (modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of realism or realists in the arts, philosophy, etc

   a realist school

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antirealist
  noun
• hyperrealist
  noun
• nonrealist
  noun
• ultrarealist
  noun
• prorealist
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• realists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of realist

First recorded in 1595–1605; real ¹ + -ist; compare French réaliste

Explanation

Some may say you never expect good things to happen, but maybe you’re just a realist, a person who uses facts and past events, rather than hopeful feelings and wishes, to predict the future. In art, Realist painters started a movement by depicting the world around them as it actually appeared, rather than painting flattering portraits of unattractive people and scenes too good to be true. You don't have to be an artist to be a realist — just consider limitations and anticipate that things that can go wrong will go wrong. The downside? Realists don't get to dream of the great things that could happen if everything goes right.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

realist realists

The row first erupted after another academic - self-defined "race realist" Nathan Cofnas, who was sacked from his Cambridge role in 2024 - said he found numerous instances of plagiarism in Prof Arday's work.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Plagiarism claims against Arday were first made in July by Nathan Cofnas, a US academic and self-defined "race realist" whose research affiliation with a Cambridge college was terminated in 2024 amid racism accusations.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Even if you’re a realist, don’t let gloomy projections get you down.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026

Mr. Lanchester is a magnetic writer who combines the skills of a social realist with this penchant for Nabokovian black humor and narrative trickery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

All the same, Dick was full of fun, and he was shrewd, a realist, he “cut through things,” there were no clouds in his head or straw in his hair.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

“We are realists, but we are not worrywarts either,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 11, 2026

Even worse are the hardheaded dollars-and-cents realists of Wall Street who take this new reality as a given.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025

And we need the realists and incrementalists, those who address the here and now.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2025

“I'm a realist. Who says realists can’t have an entourage of fairies?”

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2025

Cynics are realists who view the world with skepticism.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh