realize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to grasp or understand clearly.
- Synonyms:
- comprehend, conceive
- Antonyms:
- misunderstand
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to make real; give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.).
- Synonyms:
- effect, accomplish
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to bring vividly to the mind.
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to convert into cash or money.
to realize securities.
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to obtain as a profit or income for oneself by trade, labor, or investment.
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to bring as proceeds, as from a sale.
The goods realized $1000.
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Music. to sight-read on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass).
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Linguistics. to serve as an instance, representation, or embodiment of (an abstract linguistic element or category).
In “Jack tripped,” the subject is realized by “Jack,” the predicate by “tripped,” and the past tense by “-ed.”
verb (used without object)
verb
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(when tr, may take a clause as object) to become conscious or aware of (something)
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(tr, often passive) to bring (a plan, ambition, etc) to fruition; make actual or concrete
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(tr) to give (something, such as a drama or film) the appearance of reality
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(tr) (of goods, property, etc) to sell for or make (a certain sum)
this table realized £800
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(tr) to convert (property or goods) into cash
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(tr)
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to expand or complete (a thorough-bass part in a piece of baroque music) by supplying the harmonies indicated in the figured bass
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to reconstruct (a composition) from an incomplete set of parts
-
-
to sound or utter (a phoneme or other speech sound) in actual speech; articulate
Synonym Usage
See imagine.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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realizabilitynoun
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realizablenessnoun
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realizationnoun
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realizernoun
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nonrealizableadjective
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nonrealizingadjective
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realizableadjective
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realizablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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realizesimple
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realizessimple
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have realizedperfect
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has realizedperfect
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am realizingprogressive
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are realizingprogressive
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is realizingprogressive
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have been realizingperfect progressive
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has been realizingperfect progressive
Past
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realizedsimple
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had realizedperfect
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was realizingprogressive
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were realizingprogressive
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had been realizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of realize
First recorded in 1605–15; from French réaliser, Middle French, equivalent to real real 1 + -iser -ize
Explanation
When you realize something, you become fully aware of what is happening, like when you realize all the people in your basement who are smiling at you and starting to sing to you are there because it's your birthday. Surprise! Realize usually describes the moment your thoughts click, like the moment you close the door behind you, you realize you don't have your keys. You are locked out! So you knock on your neighbor's door. You realize, here meaning that you are fully aware, that she might not appreciate having to help you because she's trying to leave for work. You tell her your new goal is to be more organized. She says, until you realize, or reach, that goal, you better hide an extra key somewhere in your yard.
Vocabulary lists containing realize
Workshop 2, Part 1
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Ceremony
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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.
Only much later in life did Steinem, who wrote a biography about Monroe, realize her initial disdain wasn’t the actress’ fault.
From Salon • Jul. 6, 2026
“It makes me very sad to realize that the best years of my life are passing by like this,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
What 250 years means: It means freedom and to achieve your dreams… I think the Americans are more accepting than they realize, and because it’s such a young country, things move very fast.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
Modern neuroscience and psychoanalysis may have far more in common than many people realize, according to a new paper published in the neurocognitive journal Entropy.
From Science Daily • Jul. 1, 2026
When everything comes into focus, I realize I’m lying on the small red sofa in the back office of Aunt J’s hair salon.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
