realize

American  

[ree-uh-lahyz] / ˈri əˌlaɪz /

especially British, realise

verb (used with object)

realized, realizing

1. to grasp or understand clearly.

   Synonyms:

   comprehend, conceive

   Antonyms:

   misunderstand

2. to make real; give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   effect, accomplish

3. to bring vividly to the mind.

4. to convert into cash or money.

   to realize securities.

5. to obtain as a profit or income for oneself by trade, labor, or investment.

6. to bring as proceeds, as from a sale.

   The goods realized $1000.

7. Music. to sight-read on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass).

8. Linguistics. to serve as an instance, representation, or embodiment of (an abstract linguistic element or category).

   In “Jack tripped,” the subject is realized by “Jack,” the predicate by “tripped,” and the past tense by “-ed.”

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verb (used without object)

realized, realizing

1. to convert property or goods into cash or money.

realize British  

/ ˈrɪəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to become conscious or aware of (something)

2. (tr, often passive) to bring (a plan, ambition, etc) to fruition; make actual or concrete

3. (tr) to give (something, such as a drama or film) the appearance of reality

4. (tr) (of goods, property, etc) to sell for or make (a certain sum)

   this table realized £800

5. (tr) to convert (property or goods) into cash

6. (tr)

   1. to expand or complete (a thorough-bass part in a piece of baroque music) by supplying the harmonies indicated in the figured bass

   2. to reconstruct (a composition) from an incomplete set of parts

7. to sound or utter (a phoneme or other speech sound) in actual speech; articulate

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Related Words

See imagine.

Other Word Forms

• hyperrealize verb (used with object)
• nonrealizable adjective
• nonrealizing adjective
• prerealize verb (used with object)
• realizability noun
• realizable adjective
• realizableness noun
• realizably adverb
• realization noun
• realizer noun
• underrealize verb (used with object)
• unrealize verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of realize

First recorded in 1605–15; from French réaliser, Middle French, equivalent to real real ¹ + -iser -ize

Example Sentences

“I think over time people realize you don’t want to bet against the U.S.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“There are allegations in there that, with 10 or 15 minutes of work, you can realize have no basis in fact,” Jay Clayton, the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

What most of my generation hasn’t realized is that we are now the primary targets.

From The Wall Street Journal

But when you spend 12 hours seeing nothing but prairie with not a person, car or structure in sight, you realize what an amazing country we all live in.”

From Los Angeles Times

That drive can push artists to become highly productive as they spot new connections between their own work and other disciplines, and hunt for solutions to problems in realizing their ideas.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• comprehend
• get
• grasp
• know
• recognize
• think
• understand