realist

1 of 2

noun

re·​al·​ist ˈrē-ə-list 

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

realist

2 of 2

adjective

1

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

realist paintings

realist fiction

2

: realistic, practical

a realist approach to the problem

Examples of realist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The final batch continues to focus on the generations of the Buendía family living amid political infighting in Macondo while building up to the magical-realist masterpiece’s tragic end. — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026

Ever the realist, Cox does know and freely admits his athlete’s distance preferences. — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Several readers wrote to us recommending Rushdie’s magical realist epic. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

There’s an uncanniness to 1970s Harlem here; a magical-realist urban sprawl that’s both palpably gritty and like something from a fairy tale. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing realist

• photo-realist