Synonyms

real-life

American

[ree-uhl-lahyf, reel-] / ˈri əlˌlaɪf, ˈril- /

adjective

existing or happening in reality.

real-life drama.

real life British

noun

1. actual human life, as lived by real people, esp contrasted with the lives of fictional or fantasy characters
  
  miracles don't happen in real life
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a real-life mystery

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of real-life

First recorded in 1830–40

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.

These real-life tradwives described hellish experiences, both for themselves and their children.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

These conversations felt like some odd real-life version of the Bechdel Test.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

But it can dilute benefits you would get from real-life social interactions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Instead, the Harvard Business School alum talks like a real-life LinkedIn post and obsesses over how many seconds it takes to serve customers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

What are the chances a real-life Dorothy Dingle went to jail the same day my mom disappeared?

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023