reality

American  

[ree-al-i-tee] / riˈæl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

realities

1. the state or quality of being real.

2. resemblance to what is real.

3. a real thing or fact.

4. real things, facts, or events taken as a whole; state of affairs.

   the reality of the business world; vacationing to escape reality.

5. Philosophy.

   1. something that exists independently of ideas concerning it.

   2. something that exists independently of all other things and from which all other things derive.

6. something that is real.

7. something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.

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adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a TV program or film that portrays nonactors interacting or competing with each other in real but contrived situations, allegedly without a script.

   a popular reality show; reality TV.

idioms

1. in reality, in fact or truth; actually.

   brave in appearance, but in reality a coward.

reality British  

/ rɪˈælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of things as they are or appear to be, rather than as one might wish them to be

2. something that is real

3. the state of being real

4. philosophy

   1. that which exists, independent of human awareness

   2. the totality of facts as they are independent of human awareness of them See also conceptualism Compare appearance

5. actually; in fact

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Other Word Forms

• antireality adjective
• nonreality noun
• proreality noun

Etymology

Origin of reality

From the Medieval Latin word reālitās, dating back to 1540–50. See real ¹, -ity

Example Sentences

He was also tickled by the fact that “Frozen’s” Olaf not only exists in the reality of “Wonder Man,” but “for some reason, he is an icon in the dance clubs.”

From Los Angeles Times

She had a traumatic birth and realized there was a gap between “the Instagram version of motherhood” and “the reality that most moms are living,” she told Salon.

From Salon

"The goal is to draw attention to a historical reality that many are unaware of," Christoph Schmid, the federation's provincial head, told the local press.

From Barron's

“The reality is that Kontigo’s success has been forged after years of hard work, resilience, and perseverance, without being anyone’s son-in-law, nephew, or cousin,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

We travel to a bleak tented camp on barren land on the edge of the city, where we see the reality of what Rasheed says is the biggest challenge facing Syrian women now.

From BBC

Related Words

• existence
• matter
• phenomenon
• real world
• realism
• sensibility
• truth