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

At her core, Hepburn was a child of war who identified with Anne Frank—a realist who faced the problems of the world head-on as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. —Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026

The character is described as playful but also a realist who’s well aware of society’s unspoken rules. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026

Adjective

Suddenly, unabashed genre flicks could be celebrated on the same level as social realist dramas. —Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 15 May 2026

Both Angela Ingersoll, who played the ever-hopeful Sally, and Michelle Duffy, as the cynical realist Phyllis, pulsed with vivacious energy, playing across from Rapp’s sardonic take on wound-tight Ben and Wallem’s deeply sad exploration of Buddy. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 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