realistic
Americanadjective
-
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
-
pertaining to, characterized by, or given to the representation in literature or art of things as they really are.
a realistic novel.
-
resembling or simulating real life.
a duck hunter skilled at making realistic decoys.
-
Philosophy. of or relating to realists or realism.
adjective
-
showing awareness and acceptance of reality
-
practical or pragmatic rather than ideal or moral
-
(of a book, film, etc) depicting or emphasizing what is real and actual rather than abstract or ideal
-
of or relating to philosophical realism
Other Word Forms
- antirealistic adjective
- antirealistically adverb
- hyperrealistic adjective
- nonrealistic adjective
- nonrealistically adverb
- overrealistic adjective
- overrealistically adverb
- prorealistic adjective
- pseudorealistic adjective
- quasi-realistic adjective
- quasi-realistically adverb
- realistically adverb
- semirealistic adjective
- semirealistically adverb
- ultrarealistic adjective
- unrealistic adjective
- unrealistically adverb
Etymology
Origin of realistic
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.
And while it’s important to be realistic when job hunting, remember that there are many available positions that are both fulfilling and well-paid.
From MarketWatch
In addition to understanding how to make their homes suitable for buyers, sellers need to be realistic about the state of the housing market.
From MarketWatch
A brief hands-on experience can help you be more realistic about AI’s capabilities.
From Barron's
Modi expects 2026 to be another tough year, but believes that companies that lay out the most realistic targets will be the best performing stocks.
From Barron's
“We on the ground also have an idea of what we want,” he said, but added their ideas are “probably not technically realistic.”
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.
