reality check

American  

noun

1. a corrective confronting of reality, in order to counteract one's expectations, prejudices, or the like.

---

reality check British  

noun

1. an occasion or opportunity to consider a matter realistically or honestly

---

reality check Idioms  

1. An assessment to determine if one's circumstances or expectations conform to reality, as in Time for a reality check—wasn't this supposed to be a money-making enterprise? [Slang; second half of 1900s]

---

Etymology

Origin of reality check

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reality check

But this movement, he says, has restored hope: "This movement has brought back space for question and dissent and the reality check that all is not over."

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Now the decade’s hottest IPO represents a brutal reality check.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Stay for a great reality check on A.I., and an optimistic read on the interaction between machine and human intelligence.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026

It might also serve as something of a reality check.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

“A lot of stuff can make you anxious. I’m sorry you’ve been carrying around something like that. What a thing to be thinking about! But sometimes everyone needs a reality check, right?”

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman