realize

especially British, re·al·ise

[ree-uh-lahyz]

verb (used with object)

realized, realizing 

1. to grasp or understand clearly.

   Synonyms: comprehend, conceive
   Antonyms: misunderstand

2. to make real; give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.).

   Synonyms: effect, accomplish

3. to bring vividly to the mind.

4. to convert into cash or money.

   to realize securities.

5. to obtain as a profit or income for oneself by trade, labor, or investment.

6. to bring as proceeds, as from a sale.

   The goods realized $1000.

7. Music.,  to sight-read on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass).

8. Linguistics.,  to serve as an instance, representation, or embodiment of (an abstract linguistic element or category).

   In “Jack tripped,” the subject is realized by “Jack,” the predicate by “tripped,” and the past tense by “-ed.”

verb (used without object)

realized, realizing 

1. to convert property or goods into cash or money.

realize

/ ˈrɪəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to become conscious or aware of (something)

2. (tr, often passive) to bring (a plan, ambition, etc) to fruition; make actual or concrete

3. (tr) to give (something, such as a drama or film) the appearance of reality

4. (tr) (of goods, property, etc) to sell for or make (a certain sum)

   this table realized £800

5. (tr) to convert (property or goods) into cash

6. (tr)

   1. to expand or complete (a thorough-bass part in a piece of baroque music) by supplying the harmonies indicated in the figured bass

   2. to reconstruct (a composition) from an incomplete set of parts

7. to sound or utter (a phoneme or other speech sound) in actual speech; articulate

Other Word Forms

• realizable adjective
• realizability noun
• realizableness noun
• realizably adverb
• realizer noun
• hyperrealize verb (used with object)
• nonrealizable adjective
• nonrealizing adjective
• prerealize verb (used with object)
• underrealize verb (used with object)
• unrealize verb (used with object)
• realization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of realize¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from French réaliser, Middle French, equivalent to real real ¹ + -iser -ize

Synonym Study

See imagine.

Example Sentences

In 2000, a decade into his tenure atop the company, Mr. Amos realized it needed better name recognition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Luckily, he gets enough of it to make us realize it was Belmondo’s off-screen charisma — even more than on — that made the movie spark to life.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

New customers are realizing they need to connect their order management, fulfillment and customer service on one AI platform, given security and productivity problems that come with managing customer interactions on separate clouds, McDermott said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Many of the benefits of Amazon’s capital expenditures in AWS, e-commerce, advertising and its satellite initiative Project Kuiper haven’t yet been realized, Ju wrote in a Tuesday note, calling the stock “a coiled spring.”

Read more on MarketWatch

After that period, you can sell the original batch of stock and register a realized loss on your taxes—the difference between the initial purchase price and the sales price.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• comprehend 
• get 
• grasp 
• know 
• recognize 
• think 
• understand