reality check

American  

noun

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

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reality check British  

noun

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

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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]

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Etymology

Origin of reality check

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reality check

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

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

The company got a reality check in 2022 as in-store shopping recovered from the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Lewis Hamilton described the Austrian Grand Prix as "a reality check" for Ferrari, after he and Charles Leclerc limped to fifth and eighth places the race after the seven-time champion's impressive victory in Barcelona.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 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 was a total lie—but they needed a reality check, and they wouldn’t call Mamá to confirm my story.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall