realismreal‧is‧m /ˈrɪəlɪzəm/ ●○○ noun [uncountable] 
He has hope, but also a scientist’s sense of realism.2the quality of being or seeming real: the realism of the horses on the carousel3 (also Realism) the style of art and literature in which things, especially unpleasant things, are shown or described as they really are in life: the tough realism of his early works
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- His style combines plain language and gritty realism.
- The battle scenes are described with extraordinary realism.
- And realism, it is argued, is a poor basis for belief.
- Audiences become attached to soaps that have a strong sense of social realism.
- His realism was not the realism of his forebears.
- However, their idealism is tempered with realism.
- It fostered an atmosphere of intimidation and blackmail within which realism came to sound like racism.
- Sometimes, it is not the serpentine plots, but the dramatic realism that requires a second viewing.
- These exchanges are a ground-breaking insight for neo-conservative realism.
- You talk about achieving a balance between idealism and realism as if we already have a perfect one.
Longman Language Activatorwhen pictures, films etc make things seem real
use this about books, pictures, and films that show or describe things as they really are: · The book includes some very realistic descriptions of life during the war.· A lot of people like paintings to look realistic.· Planning your dream home? You can build a more realistic model with our new 3-D kit.
use this about pictures and models that look very like the real person or thing: · Outside the museum is a huge, lifelike model of a dinosaur.· The directors wanted the computer-generated images to look as lifelike as possible.
the quality in a painting, film, story etc that makes it seem real and believable: · The battle scenes are described with extraordinary realism.· His style combines plain language and gritty realism.
a film, play, story etc that is true to life , shows or describes things as they really are: · It's a great story, but not always true to life.· The film gives us a true to life picture of 1920s Chicago.
vivid descriptions, memories, dreams etc are so clear that they seem real: · The book gives a vivid account of the author's journey through northern Africa.· I loved listening to his vivid descriptions of life in Italy.· One of my most vivid memories is of my first day at school.· The drug can make people suffer hallucinations and vivid nightmares.
WORD SETSaesthete, nounagitprop, nounart gallery, nounartist, nounartwork, nounavant-garde, adjectivebaroque, adjectivecapture, verbceramics, nouncharacter, nounclassical, adjectiveclassicism, nouncompere, nouncontemporary, adjectiveconvention, nouncreative, adjectivecritical, adjectivecrossover, nouncubism, nouncultural, adjectiveculturally, adverbculture, nouncurator, nouncycle, noundrama, nouneisteddfod, nounepic, nouneponymous, adjectiveerotic, adjectiveerotica, nouneroticism, nounexhibit, verbexhibit, nounexhibition, nounexpress, verbexpression, nounexpressionism, nounextract, nounfictionalize, verbfigurine, nounfin de siècle, adjectiveflashback, nounformalism, nounfuturism, nounglaze, verbglaze, nounGothic, adjectivehandcrafted, adjectivehandicraft, nounhandmade, adjectivehigh priest, nounhistorical, adjectiveinterpretation, nounItalianate, adjectivelowbrow, adjectivemagnum opus, nounmarquetry, nounmasterpiece, nounmasterwork, nounmature, adjectivemedium, nounMFA, nounmiddlebrow, adjectiveminimalism, nounmotif, nounmuse, nounnarrator, nounnaturalism, nounneoclassical, adjectivenotice, nounoeuvre, nounoffering, nounopening, adjectiveopus, nounpan, verbparody, nounpastiche, nounpattern, nounpiece, nounpop art, nounportfolio, nounpostmodernism, nounprequel, nounpreview, nounproduce, verbproduction, nounrealism, nounrealistic, adjectiverehash, verbreview, nounreview, verbromantic, nounromanticism, nounroyalty, nounrubbish, nounsalon, nounscenario, nounscene, nounsensuous, adjectivesentimental, adjectivesequel, nounsequence, nounset piece, nounsetting, nounShakespearean, adjectiveshowing, nounskit, nounstory, nounstudio, nounstylistic, adjectivesurrealism, nounswansong, nounsynopsis, nountitle, nountrilogy, nountwo-dimensional, adjectiveuncut, adjectiveunexpurgated, adjectivevillain, nounwork, nounwork of art, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Billingham’s pictures have a gritty realism which can be almost upsetting.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
Billingham’s pictures have a gritty realism which can be almost upsetting.· EastEnders, once renowned for gritty realism and giant characters, is now awash with pygmies acting out absurd leftish fantasies.· Songs are set in everyday situations and many listeners appreciate the gritty realism, although others consider the earthiness intolerably shallow.· But then she also thinks Eldorado is full of gritty realism!
· How do you break free from the expectation that your stories will be heavily dosed with magic realism?· Her first novel House of the Spirits is also highly recommended - a tourdeforce of magic realism.
· The artist portrayed images of daily life in his native town of Ocotlan with vivid colors, surrealism and magical realism.· The novel is from the genre of magical realism.· It seems the filmmakers are aiming for a dose of magical realism, dried-out, reconstituted and completely misunderstood.
· By our own poverty of spirit, we begin to gain a new realism about life and the way we ourselves live.· This time, however, there must be a new sense of realism, on all sides.· There is now new realism in sentencing.· In the midst of despair the movie producers drifted amongst other things into a new realism.· There a new realism and prices are coming down to sensible levels.· The new realism owed nothing in technique or substance to the romances of Tolkien and Lewis.· The importance of the Speyhawk write-downs may lie in a new realism by the banks who are now in charge.· It was suddenly realized that films dealing with contemporary city life were doing well and the new realism was born.
· Throughout the Gingrich probe, Cole has had to temper his crusading instincts with political realism.
· First, there was the social realism of the Glasgow slums.· Audiences become attached to soaps that have a strong sense of social realism.· There could be a causal link between demanding social justice and realism as a method, but it is not shown.
· Interwar Socialist Realism Socialist realism has a bad press in the West.· What was new, and what is of interest in this context, was his fundamental critical reappraisal of socialist realism.· As a result, socialist realism espouses a new interest in correctionalism - even under capitalism.
VERB· One had to add a dash of realism and a great big dollop of gratitude to a situation like this.· Background noises can be added for maximum realism.· To add realism to the design, colour some of the foxgloves and sunflowers with fabric dyes or embroidery.
WORD FAMILYnounrealismrealistrealityunrealityrealizationadjectiverealunrealrealistic ≠ unrealisticadverbrealreallyrealistically ≠ unrealisticallyverbrealize
1the ability to accept and deal with difficult situations in a practical way, based on what is possible rather than what you would like to happen: He has hope, but also a scientist’s sense of realism.2the quality of being or seeming real: the realism of the horses on the carousel3 (also Realism) the style of art and literature in which things, especially unpleasant things, are shown or described as they really are in life: the tough realism of his early works