virtual reality

American  

[vur-choo-uhl ree-al-i-tee] / ˈvɜr tʃu əl riˈæl ɪ ti /

noun

Digital Technology.

1. a realistic and immersive computer simulation of a three-dimensional environment, created using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by movement of the body. VR

---

virtual reality British  

noun

1.  VR.  a computer-generated environment that, to the person experiencing it, closely resembles reality See also virtual

---

virtual reality Scientific  

1. A computer simulation of a real or imaginary world or scenario, in which a user may interact with simulated objects or living things in real time. More sophisticated virtual reality systems place sensors on the user's body to sense movements that are then interpreted by the system as movements in the simulated world; binocular goggles are sometimes used to simulate the appearance of objects in three dimensions.

---

virtual reality Cultural  

1. The creation of images and tactile sensations by means of a computer, producing the illusion of reality. Images are often projected onto special goggles to strengthen the illusion. (See cyberspace.)

---

Etymology

Origin of virtual reality

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

virtual reality

By contrast, the virtual reality version of Liberland I'm currently being shown, designed by Zaha Hadid's ZHA architecture firm, features gleaming towers, floating public parks, and gravity-defying water features.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

“Neuromancer,” one of the defining cyberpunk novels, was published in 1988; that book imagines an interconnected, virtual reality world you can traverse by “jacking in.”

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

“He has a very ‘rip-the-Band-Aid-off’ style for making the changes,” said Mark Rabkin, a longtime Meta executive and former vice president of its virtual reality efforts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026

The virtual reality therapist ‘Xaia’ is an example of how AI technology is barreling its way into the burgeoning digital health sector.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026

In virtual reality, Asher looks like a standing avatar; in real life, he is paralyzed from the waist down and sits in what must be the world’s most expensive wheelchair.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu