real-life
adjective
existing or happening in reality.
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real-life examples.
real-life
American
[ree-uhl-lahyf, reel-]
/ ˈri əlˌlaɪf, ˈril- /
adjective
real life
British
noun
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.
See Examples For:
The resulting series is a very grand, real-life chronicle of a lion cub named Kio and how he becomes a king.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The superhero film fronted by Tom Holland and real-life wife Zendaya has brought in more than $2 billion globally since its July 31 release, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
I want to revive and kind of expand on that because we now have the real-life example of the birthright citizenship case.
From Slate ● Aug. 16, 2026
She says it has helped her grow in confidence, gain real-life experience while studying, and get mentoring.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Also, he reveled in the role of Cold War spy, a real-life James Bond.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
In real life, virtual recruitment is the hiring norm, people are dressing more casually, posting about their jobs on TikTok and prioritizing work-life balance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The characters feel strange, maybe heightened, but they’re people you could meet in real life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
While some situations may sound farcical, Brewis said he had plenty of real life examples to draw on as inspiration.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
“My character is a lot like me in real life where it’s kind of time to grow up,” Gillis said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
In real life you don’t get to make choices.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
