realist

noun re·al·ist \ ˈrē-ə-list \

|Updated on: 1 Jul 2018

Definition of realist

plural realists

1 : a person who recognizes what is real or possible in a particular situation : one who accepts and deals with things as they really are

a political realist

She considers herself a realist when it comes to parenting.

2 : a person (such as a writer or painter) who adheres to a style of realism by representing things in a way faithful to nature or to real life

Chekhov was essentially more of a realist than Dostoevski, whose force often lay in a strong proclivity to melodrama …
—Roger Shattuck

See realist defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of realist from the Web

The author of more than 25 books, Roth was a fierce satirist and uncompromising realist, confronting readers in a bold, direct style that scorned false sentiment or hopes for heavenly reward.

— matt campbell, kansascity, "In memoriam through May 25: Philip Roth, Robert Indiana, Joan Wile, Clint Walker | The Kansas City Star," 25 May 2018
Author of more than 25 books, Roth was a fierce satirist and uncompromising realist, confronting readers in a bold, direct style that scorned false sentiment or hopes for heavenly reward.

— douglas perry, OregonLive.com, "Woodburn teenager arrested after allegedly making school-shooting threats on Snapchat," 23 May 2018
Author of more than 25 books, Roth was a fierce satirist and uncompromising realist, confronting readers in a bold, direct style that scorned false sentiment or hopes for a heavenly reward.

— hillel italie, USA TODAY, "Philip Roth, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and literary icon, dies at 85," 22 May 2018
Richard Pipes was a thinking man’s realist on the world’s affairs.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Richard Pipes," 17 May 2018
This is true on Laucala Island too, where horse-riding on the fine sandy beach, through the plantations and coconut groves will unleash undreamt-of feelings of euphoria in even the most hard-boiled realists.

— Town & Country, "These Are the 83 Top Hotels Around the World," 6 Oct. 2016
Because the style of painting at that time is highly realist, there is so much reference to go on.

— corynne cirilli, Town & Country, "The White Princess Is Television's Most Opulent New Show," 12 Apr. 2017
The author of more than 25 books, Roth was an uncompromising realist and satirist, confronting readers in a bold, direct style that scorned false sentiment or hopes for heavenly reward.

— bradford betz, Fox News, "Philip Roth, fearless and celebrated author, dies at 85," 23 May 2018
Though the tension remains throughout, The Rain walks a difficult line between the fantastical and the realist, and with every episode the plot loses steam.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "Something Is Damp in the State of Denmark," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'realist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of realist

1547

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

realist

adjective

Definition of realist

: in the style of realism : faithful in representation to nature or to real life

realist paintings

Though a number of Dahl's most engaging stories, particularly in his early career, are cast in a realist mode, his reputation is that of a writer of macabre, blackly jocose tales …
—Joyce Carol Oates

Recent Examples of realist from the Web

There is this other stream that doesn't get a lot of coverage in the media which is a more realist approach to foreign policy that does seek to have a different approach.

— Fox News, "Two FBI agents sought to 'stop' Trump," 18 June 2018
Children of Blood and Bone also draws on a very different, realist approach that has claimed attention in mainstream young-adult fiction in the post-Ferguson era.

— vann r. newkirk ii, The Atlantic, "Where Fantasy Meets Black Lives Matter," 6 Mar. 2018