You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined, invented, or theoretical ideas.
Fiction and reality were increasingly blurred.
Synonyms: fact, truth, certainty, realism More Synonyms of reality
2. See also virtual reality
3. countable noun
Therealityof a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
...the harsh reality of top international competition. [+ of]
Synonyms: truth, fact, actuality More Synonyms of reality
4. singular noun
You say that something has become a reality when it actually exists or is actually happening.
...the whole procedure that made this book become a reality.
The reality is that they are poor.
5.
See in reality
reality in British English
(rɪˈælɪtɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1.
the state of things as they are or appear to be, rather than as one might wish them to be
2.
something that is real
3.
the state of being real
4. philosophy
a.
that which exists, independent of human awareness
b.
the totality of facts as they are, independent of human awareness of them
See also conceptualism, Compare appearance (sense 6)
5. in reality
reality in American English
(riˈæləti)
nounWord forms: pluralreˈalities
1.
the quality or fact of being real
2.
something that is real; fact
3.
the quality of being true to life
4. Philosophy
that which is real
adjective
5. Television
designating or of programming, a show, etc. that features people, who are not actors, engaged in unscripted activity, often in contrived situations
Idioms:
in reality
Word origin
ML realitas
COBUILD Collocations
reality
accept a reality
acknowledge a reality
become a reality
brutal reality
commercial reality
confront reality
cruel reality
daily reality
day-to-day reality
deny the reality
distort reality
economic reality
face the reality
grim reality
harsh reality
historical reality
ignore the reality
objective reality
painful reality
physical reality
sad reality
the stark reality of
understand the reality
Examples of 'reality' in a sentence
reality
My worst nightmare has become a reality.
The Sun (2016)
Working life has given us a reality check.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The harsh realities of winning and exercising power don't appeal to the far left.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It was my doing, but it came from perception rather than reality.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's hard for us to accept this reality.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The cruel reality you face of a life without the man you love is further compounded by a world that keeps on turning.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I remember feeling physically exhausted and the reality of the situation became clear.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
So is he to blame for introducing reality TV here?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Do not expect that numbers in your balance sheet can protect you from harsh economic reality.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
We have to get used to the financial reality rather than an imagined one.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We need to accept that new reality and embrace those people.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We have to face reality and work harder.
The Sun (2014)
Sometimes we manage to ignore unpleasant realities by simply refusing to acknowledge that they are happening.
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
Turning dreams into reality is something all entrepreneurs attempt to do with varying degrees of success.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Yet his business brain knows the stark reality of the situation.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Man only becomes aware of reality when it is shown to him.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You can give plans a reality check and know which to push into action.
The Sun (2012)
In reality the companies face little or no competition.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In reality it was rather more disjointed than that.
Admiral Sandy Woodward, With Patrick Robinson ONE HUNDRED DAYS (2003)
They are gradually coming to accept the reality of their different needs and feelings.
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
Tell your husband he must take his head out of the sand and face up to reality.
The Sun (2010)
To me the appearance does say something about the reality.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They do not go into the realities of the situation.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But there is much to do before all this can become a reality.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
What it really is is a reality check.
Christianity Today (2000)
But she did enjoy her time on the reality competition at the time.
The Sun (2013)
Life's harsh realities are setting in.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
What begins as childish curiosity turns into unpleasant, adult reality.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
The celebrity reality TV circus is a curious thing.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
OH, to be a reality star.
The Sun (2012)
She now works as a model and reality TV star.
The Sun (2014)
Soap actors and reality stars packed the US entertainer's funeral in a flamboyant ceremony.
The Sun (2016)
Quotations
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go awayPhilip K. DickI Hope I Shall Arrive Soon
Human kind Cannot bear very much realityT.S. EliotEast Coker
In other languages
reality
British English: reality /rɪˈælɪtɪ/ NOUN
You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined or invented.
He was confusing fiction and reality.
American English: reality
Arabic: وَاقِع
Brazilian Portuguese: realidade
Chinese: 真实
Croatian: stvarnost
Czech: realita
Danish: virkelighed
Dutch: realiteit
European Spanish: realidad
Finnish: todellisuus
French: réalité
German: Realität
Greek: πραγματικότητα
Italian: realtà
Japanese: 現実
Korean: 현실
Norwegian: virkelighet
Polish: rzeczywistość
European Portuguese: realidade
Romanian: realitate
Russian: реальность
Latin American Spanish: realidad
Swedish: verklighet
Thai: ความจริง
Turkish: gerçeklik
Ukrainian: реальність
Vietnamese: thực tế
All related terms of 'reality'
in reality
You can use in reality to introduce a statement about the real nature of something, when it contrasts with something incorrect that has just been described .
reality TV
Reality TV is a type of television programming which aims to show how ordinary people behave in everyday life , or in situations , often created by the programme makers, which are intended to represent everyday life.
sad reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
cruel reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
daily reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
grim reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
harsh reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
reality check
If you say that something is a reality check for someone, you mean that it makes them recognize the truth about a situation , especially about the difficulties involved in something they want to achieve .
reality show
a television show in which members of the public or celebrities are filmed living their everyday lives or undertaking specific challenges
brutal reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
distort reality
You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined , invented , or theoretical ideas.
painful reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
reality fiction
a satirical parody of a reality TV show
reality testing
the objective evaluation of situations, defective in certain psychoses , that enable one to distinguish between the external and the internal worlds and between the self and the nonself
virtual reality
Virtual reality is an environment which is produced by a computer and seems very like reality to the person experiencing it.
augmented reality
an artificial environment created through the combination of real-world and computer-generated data
commercial reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
confront reality
You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined , invented , or theoretical ideas.
economic reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
historical reality
You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined , invented , or theoretical ideas.
objective reality
You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined , invented , or theoretical ideas.
physical reality
You use reality to refer to real things or the real nature of things rather than imagined , invented , or theoretical ideas.
reality principle
control of behaviour by the ego to meet the conditions imposed by the external world
reality television
Television refers to all the programmes that you can watch .
accept a reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
become a reality
You say that something has become a reality when it actually exists or is actually happening .
deny the reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
face the reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
ignore the reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
acknowledge a reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
a grip on reality
If you say that someone has a grip on reality , you mean they recognize the true situation and do not have mistaken ideas about it.
day-to-day reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
alternate reality game
a type of multimedia game for multiple players that takes place in real time and evolves according to decisions taken by the players rather than by a programmer
the stark reality of
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
understand the reality
The reality of a situation is the truth about it, especially when it is unpleasant or difficult to deal with.
Chinese translation of 'reality'
reality
(riːˈælɪtɪ)
n
(u) (= real things) 现(現)实(實) (xiànshí)
(c/u) (= realness) 真相 (zhēnxiàng)
in reality事实(實)上 (shìshí shang)
1 (noun)
Definition
the state of being real
Fiction and reality were increasingly blurred.
Synonyms
fact
truth
There is no truth in this story.
certainty
A general election became a certainty three weeks ago.
realism
Sincere performances and gritty Boston settings add to the film's realism.
validity
authenticity
The film's authenticity of detail has impressed critics.
verity
the undeniable verities of life
actuality
materiality
genuineness
verisimilitude
Computer animation is costly at this level of visual verisimilitude.
corporeality
2 (noun)
Definition
something that is real
the harsh reality of top international competition
Synonyms
truth
Is it possible to separate truth from fiction?
fact
How much was fact and how much fancy no one knew.
actuality
You may theorise, but we are concerned with actualities.
phrase
See in reality
Quotations
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away [Philip K. Dick – I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon]Human kind Cannot bear very much reality [T.S. Eliot – East Coker]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of actuality
You may theorise, but we are concerned with actualities.
Synonyms
fact,
truth,
reality,
verity
in the sense of authenticity
The film's authenticity of detail has impressed critics.
Synonyms
accuracy,
truth,
certainty,
validity,
reliability,
legitimacy,
verity,
actuality,
faithfulness,
truthfulness,
dependability,
trustworthiness,
authoritativeness,
factualness
in the sense of certainty
Definition
something established as inevitable
A general election became a certainty three weeks ago.
Synonyms
fact,
truth,
reality,
sure thing (informal),
surety,
banker
Synonyms of 'reality'
reality
Explore 'reality' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of realism
Definition
a style in art or literature that attempts to show the world as it really is
Sincere performances and gritty Boston settings add to the film's realism.
Synonyms
authenticity,
naturalism,
verisimilitude,
fidelity,
faithfulness,
truthfulness
in the sense of verisimilitude
Definition
the appearance of truth or reality
Computer animation is costly at this level of visual verisimilitude.