Synonyms

real world

American

[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

noun

the realm of practical or actual experience, as opposed to the abstract, theoretical, or idealized sphere of the classroom, laboratory, etc..

recent college graduates looking for jobs in the real world of rising unemployment.

Other Word Forms

real-world adjective

Etymology

Origin of real world

First recorded in 1960–65

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.

“In the real world? No, I don’t think it would work at all.”

From The Wall Street Journal

A pill is easier than an injection, and it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but there are also questions about the step-heavy administration process and its effectiveness in the real world.

From MarketWatch

"We live in a world, in the real world... that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power," Miller said in a CNN interview.

From Barron's

Investors are eager for signs of advancement on the commercial front, which supports hopes that the technology will move beyond a research setting and find practical applications in the real world.

From Barron's

“Because I’m dealing with real buildings that exist in the real world, it’s not laid out exactly the same as it is in the game,” says Howard Cummings, the show’s production designer.

From Los Angeles Times

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