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Synonyms

realize

American

[ree-uh-lahyz] / ˈri əˌlaɪz /

especially British, realise

verb (used with object)

to grasp or understand clearly.

Synonyms:

comprehend, conceive

Antonyms:

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

Synonyms:

effect, accomplish
to bring vividly to the mind.
to convert into cash or money.

to realize securities.
to obtain as a profit or income for oneself by trade, labor, or investment.
to bring as proceeds, as from a sale.

The goods realized $1000.
Music. to sight-read on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass).
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.”

verb (used without object)

to convert property or goods into cash or money.

realize British

/ ˈrɪəˌlaɪz /

verb

(when tr, may take a clause as object) to become conscious or aware of (something)
(tr, often passive) to bring (a plan, ambition, etc) to fruition; make actual or concrete
(tr) to give (something, such as a drama or film) the appearance of reality
(tr) (of goods, property, etc) to sell for or make (a certain sum)

this table realized £800
(tr) to convert (property or goods) into cash
(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
to sound or utter (a phoneme or other speech sound) in actual speech; articulate

"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

Synonym Usage

See imagine.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of realize

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

Explanation

When you realize something, you become fully aware of what is happening, like when you realize all the people in your basement who are smiling at you and starting to sing to you are there because it's your birthday. Surprise! Realize usually describes the moment your thoughts click, like the moment you close the door behind you, you realize you don't have your keys. You are locked out! So you knock on your neighbor's door. You realize, here meaning that you are fully aware, that she might not appreciate having to help you because she's trying to leave for work. You tell her your new goal is to be more organized. She says, until you realize, or reach, that goal, you better hide an extra key somewhere in your yard.

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Vocabulary lists containing realize

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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:

realize realizes realized realizing

And many people realize they know more than they think.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026

“I thought it would be really fun, connecting important literature with Taylor Swift lyrics. I didn’t realize how much was in the lyrics.”

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 7, 2026

What Waititi fails to realize is that he’s not punching up or down, but laterally.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

The transaction offers an opportunity for MTY shareholders to realize certain value at a price that effectively pays investors for a large percentage of the expected benefits a tie-up is expected to create, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

The front of the cortex seems to be hanging in space until you realize that your face fits the space underneath.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

He realizes that taking away those expected elements is risky.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026

The story takes a surprising, bittersweet turn, and Ms. Hepola realizes she’s in a contest she can’t win.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Your stepmother, whether she realizes it or not, is acting out of fear.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

But now she realizes it was the right thing to do.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

She remains distracted as she walks, considering the cards, but she slowly realizes that she is rather warm.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Krinsky realized he had no leverage over the upholsterers—the people with the skills and grip strength to stretch fabric over wooden frames—because they were so scarce.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026

“I generally consider myself a positive person and a dreamer, but then I met Fernando and realized that the way he dreams is on another plane entirely.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2026

“It broke everybody’s heart . . . because they realized, hey, that could have been their ancestors on the Henrietta Marie.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

Schulz had not previously realized that this stronger formulation was available.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026

I realized how very old and decrepit I must look to this young person.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Often, their children don’t share their same tastes or compulsion to collect, and even billionaire families are realizing how expensive it is to maintain them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

It may be that you’re on something of a high, realizing that life is short, and a Porsche is something that would bring you joy.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

Meanwhile, many tech companies are realizing that AI could shift customers away from other parts of their business that are more profitable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

It’s impossible to watch one, let alone all three, without realizing that Schoenbrun has a lot on their mind, sometimes too much for a single film to bear.

From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026

“No,” she said firmly, realizing it was true.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

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