realism

noun

re·​al·​ism ˈrē-ə-ˌli-zəm 

1

: concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary

2

a

: a doctrine that universals exist outside the mind

specifically : the conception that an abstract term names an independent and unitary reality

b

: a theory that objects of sense perception or cognition exist independently of the mind compare nominalism

3

: the theory or practice of fidelity in art and literature to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization

Synonyms

• literalism
• naturalism
• representationalism
• verisimilitude
• verismo

Examples of realism in a Sentence

He has a sense of realism about what can be done to improve the economy.

The realism of her dream was alarming.

the stark realism of the play

Recent Examples on the Web

His use of realism inspired Italian neorealism and the Nouvelle Vague. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025

Though Mario Kart isn’t exactly a franchise known for realism, some YouTubers posited that Nintendo used generative AI to produce the image. —Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 11 May 2025

Some of Fey’s signatures, like social neurosis and a respect for sandwiches, are present here, though deployed less for jokes than for realism. —Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Deepfakes can be used to generate images, video, and audio with varying degrees of realism. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing realism

• anti-realism
• magic realism
• photo-realism
• socialist realism

Kids Definition

realism

noun

re·​al·​ism ˈrē-ə-ˌliz-əm 

ˈri-ə-

1

: willingness to face facts and to give in to what is necessary

2

: the showing of things as they really are in art, literature, and theater

realist

-ləst 

adjective or noun