reality
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being real.
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resemblance to what is real.
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a real thing or fact.
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real things, facts, or events taken as a whole; state of affairs.
the reality of the business world; vacationing to escape reality.
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Philosophy.
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something that exists independently of ideas concerning it.
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something that exists independently of all other things and from which all other things derive.
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something that is real.
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something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.
adjective
idioms
noun
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the state of things as they are or appear to be, rather than as one might wish them to be
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something that is real
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the state of being real
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philosophy
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that which exists, independent of human awareness
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the totality of facts as they are independent of human awareness of them See also conceptualism Compare appearance
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actually; in fact
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of reality
From the Medieval Latin word reālitās, dating back to 1540–50. See real 1, -ity
Explanation
Reality is the way things actually are, not the way you might want them to be. Many TV shows claim to be reality, but they are really just pretend. The only actual reality is the life that happens every day. The noun reality harkens back to the late Latin realis, and later to the mid-16th Century Medieval Latin reālitās, referring to legal property matters, with the current meaning of "true existence" not coming about until 1647. Philosophers and scientists often debate about the true nature of reality, and a common philosophy is that a person’s reality is whatever he or she thinks it is. Or, as film director Tim Burton once said, "One person's craziness is another person's reality."
Vocabulary lists containing reality
Workshop 1, Part 2
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"Fleeing Katrina"
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Schooled
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Over the course of 14 months, BBC News has exposed the shocking reality of organised crime taking over high streets in England and Wales.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
The country needs a new government whose leaders are capable of facing reality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
But the most exciting, and perhaps most daunting, reality of the quantum sector is that it is constantly in flux.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The ex–MTV reality cast member will not be mayor, but his candidacy will mark a turning point in Los Angeles and California politics.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026
She spoke always as though she were describing things that she saw—as if that wide, winding staircase and those bright gardens were the reality, this cramped and filthy barracks the dream.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
