realistic

[ree-uh-lis-tik]

adjective

1. interested in, concerned with, or based on what is real or practical.

   a realistic estimate of costs; a realistic planner.

   Synonyms: sensible, hardheaded, common-sense, pragmatic

2. pertaining to, characterized by, or given to the representation in literature or art of things as they really are.

   a realistic novel.

3. resembling or simulating real life.

   a duck hunter skilled at making realistic decoys.

4. Philosophy.,  of or relating to realists or realism.

realistic

/ ˌrɪəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

1. showing awareness and acceptance of reality

2. practical or pragmatic rather than ideal or moral

3. (of a book, film, etc) depicting or emphasizing what is real and actual rather than abstract or ideal

4. of or relating to philosophical realism

Other Word Forms

• realistically adverb
• antirealistic adjective
• antirealistically adverb
• hyperrealistic adjective
• nonrealistic adjective
• nonrealistically adverb
• overrealistic adjective
• overrealistically adverb
• prorealistic adjective
• pseudorealistic adjective
• quasi-realistic adjective
• quasi-realistically adverb
• semirealistic adjective
• semirealistically adverb
• ultrarealistic adjective
• unrealistic adjective
• unrealistically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of realistic¹

First recorded in 1855–60; realist + -ic

Example Sentences

“Using Plaintiff’s own trademark, Defendant is luring users away from Plaintiff’s authentic, custom celebrity CAMEO®-branded service to Defendant’s AI-driven ‘Cameo’ service for creating fake yet highly realistic videos featuring celebrity likenesses.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

BBC Sport assesses the options and looks at how realistic it could be to appoint one of them.

Read more on BBC

The optimized networks consistently outperformed conventional approaches, even when realistic noise was added.

Read more on Science Daily

Two types of processed hard fats commonly found in foods like baked goods, margarines, and spreads appear to have little impact on heart health when eaten in realistic amounts.

Read more on Science Daily

Still, the idea is that they are “more advantaged than some, less advantaged than others,” Trench said on the show, and still “have a realistic shot” at financial freedom by age 30.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• businesslike 
• down-to-earth 
• practical 
• pragmatic 
• prudent 
• rational 
• real 
• reasonable 
• sane 
• sensible 
• sober