reality

American  

[ree-al-i-tee] / riˈæl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

realities

1. the state or quality of being real.

2. resemblance to what is real.

3. a real thing or fact.

4. real things, facts, or events taken as a whole; state of affairs.

   the reality of the business world; vacationing to escape reality.

5. Philosophy.

   1. something that exists independently of ideas concerning it.

   2. something that exists independently of all other things and from which all other things derive.

6. something that is real.

7. something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.

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adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a TV program or film that portrays nonactors interacting or competing with each other in real but contrived situations, allegedly without a script.

   a popular reality show; reality TV.

idioms

1. in reality, in fact or truth; actually.

   brave in appearance, but in reality a coward.

reality British  

/ rɪˈælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state of things as they are or appear to be, rather than as one might wish them to be

2. something that is real

3. the state of being real

4. philosophy

   1. that which exists, independent of human awareness

   2. the totality of facts as they are independent of human awareness of them See also conceptualism Compare appearance

5. actually; in fact

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Other Word Forms

• antireality adjective
• nonreality noun
• proreality noun

Etymology

Origin of reality

From the Medieval Latin word reālitās, dating back to 1540–50. See real ¹, -ity

Example Sentences

With routines relaxed and new tech unwrapped, it's more tempting than ever to let children loose on devices over the festive period, with parents caught between avoiding screen guilt and the realities of modern life.

From BBC

“We’re seeing two different economic realities on both the consumer and the business landscape,” said Bank of America Institute economist Taylor Bowley.

From The Wall Street Journal

Created by two First Nations women, the series pokes fun with affection in a very Canadian way, while also nodding to the darker historical realities of society.

From Salon

In reality, her leadership of the wider Anglican world can no longer be taken for granted in the way that claim suggests.

From BBC

“When people set a budget, it’s often not based on reality,” Ryan said.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• existence
• matter
• phenomenon
• real world
• realism
• sensibility
• truth