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.

The two protagonists, Jason and Lucia, appear at least loosely inspired by the real-life American outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde, who have already been the stuff of movies and TV series.

From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026

Of course, Connecticut’s program — like any real-life effort — is not perfect.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026

As a pioneer and legend of the real-life import car scene, my mechanic wasn’t the villain.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026

"It was like we were real-life siblings, you know? That feeling is something I really love."

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

In the end, early modern science defeated two of the most difficult practical problems it had set itself: the calculation of the path of projectiles under real-life conditions, and the measurement of longitude.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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