Synonyms

realize

American

[ree-uh-lahyz] / ˈri əˌlaɪz /

especially British, realise

verb (used with object)

to grasp or understand clearly.

Synonyms:

comprehend, conceive

Antonyms:

misunderstand
to make real; give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.).

Synonyms:

effect, accomplish
to bring vividly to the mind.
to convert into cash or money.

to realize securities.
to obtain as a profit or income for oneself by trade, labor, or investment.
to bring as proceeds, as from a sale.

The goods realized $1000.
Music. to sight-read on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass).
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)

to convert property or goods into cash or money.

realize British

/ ˈrɪəˌlaɪz /

verb

(when tr, may take a clause as object) to become conscious or aware of (something)
(tr, often passive) to bring (a plan, ambition, etc) to fruition; make actual or concrete
(tr) to give (something, such as a drama or film) the appearance of reality
(tr) (of goods, property, etc) to sell for or make (a certain sum)

this table realized £800
(tr) to convert (property or goods) into cash
(tr)
1. to expand or complete (a thorough-bass part in a piece of baroque music) by supplying the harmonies indicated in the figured bass
2. to reconstruct (a composition) from an incomplete set of parts
to sound or utter (a phoneme or other speech sound) in actual speech; articulate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See imagine.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing realize

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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.

See Examples For:

realize realizes realized realizing

More CMOs are beginning to realize how much monikers can matter in a crowded marketplace, according to Barrett.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Considering the market is always forward-looking, the move in these beaten-down asset classes will come long before most investors realize it.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

It didn’t take long for North Texas’ coaches to realize they’d struck gold.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

However, people also realize the foundation for bonds now looks different from four years ago, she said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

I nod to the portrait and realize my mistake just as I’m doing so.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Or is about to when she realizes her squatter is Misty Green, minor celebrity, and so grants her a week until eviction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

“Maybe at first it felt Big Brotherish, but my mom realizes now that she needs to hand this over to me.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

It’s Juniper’s chance to establish herself as an adult actor and Kai’s first foray into the spotlight, a position he quickly realizes doesn’t come without a personal cost.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

“Every Republican I’m aware of realizes this year requires a full commitment, in terms of time, effort, resources,” Mackowack said.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

Helmuth's heart sinks as he realizes that Düwer denounced him in order to save himself.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Following growth of 4.2% in 2025, if realized, those projections would leave volumes more than 12% higher in 2027 than they were in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

When the band finished with the album, I realized that because I had not paid attention, I had no idea what was next.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

"When I first saw the construction site at Rooppur, I realized how much work lay ahead on this project... honestly, Rooppur changed me and my life," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Once there, Falwell examined the company ledgers and realized he had a problem.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

And all at once Clare realized that those flashes in the water were gaping mouths.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Any coach who says “I don’t want to know” where a transfer lives to escape accountability might want to start realizing an entire program can go down when they abdicate responsibility.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

But realizing them will require infrastructure and standards capable of keeping pace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Upon realizing your clients were no longer listed in DHS’ system, what steps did you take to try to find them?

From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2026

In one instance, we filmed by drone an Iranian captain with his crew hastily fleeing inside the ship’s structure after realizing that our team was capturing his image via drone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

“What do I see?” asked Duane quietly, realizing now that he was indeed being included in the conversation.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023