First recorded in 1830–40
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But thanks to Reid’s indefatigable charisma, this vampire sidesteps the resentment millions hold for real-life bloodsuckers by inviting us behind the velvet curtain.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
China's robots have wowed audiences with fluid dancing and set-piece martial arts displays onstage, but their application and performance in real-life settings remains limited.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Eastwood plays the spoon-wielding lead in this thrilling jailbreak saga based on the infamous real-life escape from the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in 1962.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
Do you think real-life tradwives are performers or true believers?
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
I was surprised because every other part of her city was exactly like the real-life buildings.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
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.
