realistic

[ree-uh-lis-tik]

adjective

interested in, concerned with, or based on what is real or practical: a realistic estimate of costs; a realistic planner.

pertaining to, characterized by, or given to the representation in literature or art of things as they really are: a realistic novel.

resembling or simulating real life: a duck hunter skilled at making realistic decoys.

Philosophy. of or relating to realists or realism.

Origin of realistic

First recorded in 1855–60; realist + -ic

Related formsre·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverban·ti·re·al·is·tic, adjectivean·ti·re·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbhy·per·re·al·is·tic, adjectivenon·re·al·is·tic, adjectivenon·re·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbo·ver·re·al·is·tic, adjectiveo·ver·re·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbpro·re·al·is·tic, adjectivepseu·do·re·al·is·tic, adjectivequa·si-re·al·is·tic, adjectivequa·si-re·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbsem·i·re·al·is·tic, adjectivesem·i·re·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbul·tra·re·al·is·tic, adjectiveun·re·al·is·tic, adjectiveun·re·al·is·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Synonyms for realistic

1. pragmatic, common-sense, hard-headed, sensible.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for realistically

Contemporary Examples of realistically

The money crowd got all the deregulation it could realistically hope for.
The Religious Right’s Slow-Motion Suicide
Michael Tomasky
September 29, 2014
Realistically, what I saw was exactly what I would have expected at a Grateful Dead tribute show.
Patted Down by India’s Hugging Saint
Daniel Genis
July 20, 2014
Because it's too cautious to dramatize real problems and too reductive to tackle them realistically.
Generic and Superficial ‘Tyrant’ Amerisplains the Middle East
Andrew Romano
June 25, 2014
Realistically, nobody expects a system like ARC4 to jump straight from the battlefield to the nearest Best Buy.
Augmented Reality System Goes From Military to Market
Rose Eveleth
May 27, 2014
We need more images and scenes of women on their own, who are realistically happy without a guy.
Novelist Holly Peterson Talks About New York, Power Trippers, and Love
Hannah Seligson
April 16, 2014

Historical Examples of realistically

The mechanics of realistically moving Saturn was rougher than a cob.
Question of Comfort
Les Collins
To my senses she was real, and it was necessary therefore to destroy her realistically.
Fantazius Mallare
Ben Hecht
A bell was ringing; and ringing too realistically not to be real!
Bob Strong's Holidays
John Conroy Hutcheson
For those qualities you check, answer the questions as realistically as you can.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn
Steven J. Bartlett
It should be said at once that these objects are treated symbolically, not realistically.
Indo-China and Its Primitive People
Henry Baudesson

British Dictionary definitions for realistically

realistic

adjective

showing awareness and acceptance of reality

practical or pragmatic rather than ideal or moral

(of a book, film, etc) depicting or emphasizing what is real and actual rather than abstract or ideal

of or relating to philosophical realism

Derived Formsrealistically, adverb

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

Word Origin and History for realistically

realistic

adj.

"true to reality" (of art, literature, etc.), 1829; "involving a practical view of life" (opposed to idealistic), 1831; from realist + -ic. Related: Realistically.