real
1true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent: the real reason for an act.
existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or fictitious: a story taken from real life.
being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary: The events you will see in the film are real and not just made up.
being actually such; not merely so-called: a real victory.
genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic: a real antique;a real diamond;real silk.
unfeigned or sincere: real sympathy;a real friend.
Philosophy.
existent or pertaining to the existent as opposed to the nonexistent.
actual as opposed to possible or potential.
independent of experience as opposed to phenomenal or apparent.
(of money, income, or the like) measured in purchasing power rather than in nominal value: Inflation has driven income down in real terms, though nominal income appears to be higher.
Optics. (of an image) formed by the actual convergence of rays, as the image produced in a camera (opposed to virtual).
Mathematics.
of, relating to, or having the value of a real number.
using real numbers: real analysis; real vector space.
Informal. very or extremely: You did a real nice job painting the house.
the real,
something that actually exists, as a particular quantity.
reality in general.
Idioms about real
Origin of real
1synonym study For real
usage note For real
Other words from real
- re·al·ness, noun
Words Nearby real
Other definitions for real (2 of 3)
a former silver coin of Spain and Spanish America, the eighth part of a peso.
Origin of real
2Other definitions for real (3 of 3)
singular of reis.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use real in a sentence
We’re looking for speakers who can present real-life case studies and actionable ideas that search marketers can put to use immediately to overcome the challenges of this new reality.
SMX is Coming to You in December 2020: Be a Part of it! | Kathy Bushman | September 17, 2020 | Search Engine LandThe real uncertainty is around international students and postgraduate students.
UK Universities Predicted a COVID-19 Crash. They Got the Opposite | Fiona Zublin | September 17, 2020 | OzyAs stated on the official website, TikTok is made for real people to create real videos.
What you must know about TikTok for business | Connie Benton | September 17, 2020 | Search Engine Watch“I’m really excited about this change, and I think it has the potential to be a real game-changer for many students,” Whitehurst-Payne said.
When a Calculus Class Abruptly Became Ceramics at Lincoln High | Scott Lewis | September 16, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoThat whole you-complete-me thing, it’s a Hollywood creation that’s not real.
But along with the cartoon funk is an all-too-real story of police brutality embodied by a horde of evil Pigs.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical | Stereo Williams | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTWe haven't had any real fan reaction yet, but our collective fingers are crossed.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS | Marlow Stern | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThey say it's frightening how the real CIA is perceived to be as clueless as Archer Co.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS | Marlow Stern | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut if you listen to our leaders, they weren't the real targets here.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead | Luke O’Neil | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“This is a federal mandate that is causing some real problems for schools across the country,” Kline told a CBS affiliate in July.
It was not until later days that Malcolm knew the real nature of the scene through which he rode.
The Red Year | Louis TracyIt was in the college stage that most of us made out our religion and made it real for ourselves.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation | H. G. (Herbert George) WellsThe real experience has a magnetism of its own and will win above mere technicality whenever it has the opportunity.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickIf we are to have a real education along lines of expression we must begin with the "content," or cause, of expression.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickAnother time she might have smiled at the thought as fanciful: it seemed awfully real now.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry Wood
British Dictionary definitions for real (1 of 3)
/ (ˈrɪəl) /
existing or occurring in the physical world; not imaginary, fictitious, or theoretical; actual
(prenominal) true; actual; not false: the real reason
(prenominal) deserving the name; rightly so called: a real friend; a real woman
not artificial or simulated; genuine: real sympathy; real fur
(of food, etc) traditionally made and having a distinct flavour: real ale; real cheese
philosophy existent or relating to actual existence (as opposed to nonexistent, potential, contingent, or apparent)
(prenominal) economics (of prices, incomes, wages, etc) considered in terms of purchasing power rather than nominal currency value
(prenominal) denoting or relating to immovable property such as land and tenements: real property Compare personal
physics Compare image (def. 2)
maths involving or containing real numbers alone; having no imaginary part
music
(of the answer in a fugue) preserving the intervals as they appear in the subject
denoting a fugue as having such an answer: Compare tonal (def. 3)
informal (intensifier): a real fool; a real genius
the real thing the genuine article, not an inferior or mistaken substitute
short for real number
the real that which exists in fact; reality
for real slang not as a test or trial; in earnest
Origin of real
1Derived forms of real
- realness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for real (2 of 3)
/ (reɪˈɑːl, Spanish reˈal) /
a former small Spanish or Spanish-American silver coin
Origin of real
2British Dictionary definitions for real (3 of 3)
/ (Portuguese reˈal) /
the standard monetary unit of Brazil, divided into 100 centavos
a former coin of Portugal
Origin of real
3Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with real
In addition to the idiom beginning with real
- real McCoy, the
also see:
- for real
- get real
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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