realist

American  

[ree-uh-list] / ˈri ə lɪst /

noun

realists plural

1. a person who tends to view or represent things as they really are.

2. an artist or a writer whose work is characterized by realism.

3. Philosophy. an adherent of realism.

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adjective

1. of or relating to realism or to a person who embodies its principles or practices.

   the realist approach to social ills;

   realist paintings.

realist British  

/ ˈrɪəlɪst /

noun

1. a person who is aware of and accepts the physical universe, events, etc, as they are; pragmatist

2. an artist or writer who seeks to represent the familiar or typical in real life rather than an idealized, formalized, or romantic interpretation

3. philosophy a person who accepts realism

4. (modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of realism or realists in the arts, philosophy, etc

   a realist school

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antirealist
  noun
• hyperrealist
  noun
• nonrealist
  noun
• ultrarealist
  noun
• prorealist
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• realists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of realist

First recorded in 1595–1605; real ¹ + -ist; compare French réaliste

Explanation

Some may say you never expect good things to happen, but maybe you’re just a realist, a person who uses facts and past events, rather than hopeful feelings and wishes, to predict the future. In art, Realist painters started a movement by depicting the world around them as it actually appeared, rather than painting flattering portraits of unattractive people and scenes too good to be true. You don't have to be an artist to be a realist — just consider limitations and anticipate that things that can go wrong will go wrong. The downside? Realists don't get to dream of the great things that could happen if everything goes right.

Example Sentences

I’m a realist, so I would like to know whether this is a realistic option and what other factors I should consider before making this decision.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

“The vogue when I was writing ‘Dept. of Speculation’ was for realist doorstopper books that were self-consciously about big ideas,” explains the novelist, who published her now-classic fragmentary novel in 2014.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

But I’m also a realist when it comes to award show politics and their intersection with societal attitudes, and I have seen this movie before.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

Those fonder of Hawthorne the magical realist will have plenty to appreciate as well, not least of which that Donatello’s true ancestry—whether human or faun—is never definitively established.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Although McCandless was enough of a realist to know that hunting game was an unavoidable component of living off the land, he had always been ambivalent about killing animals.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer