reality

noun

re·​al·​i·​ty rē-ˈa-lə-tē 

plural realities

1

: the quality or state of being real

2

a(1)

: a real event, entity, or state of affairs

his dream became a reality

(2)

: the totality of real things and events

trying to escape from reality

b

: something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily

3

: television programming that features people (especially people who are not professional actors) dealing with real-life situations or participating in contrived activities (such as competitions)

I for one am rooting for anything that stems the rising tide of reality on television.

—Ted Cox

… it's a tough choice between The Voice and Dancing With the Stars. … If reality means nothing to you, then you're faced with a medical drama, a superhero drama and comedies.

—Chris Harnick

—usually used before another noun

reality stars

a reality series

reality shows

fans of reality TV/television

… critical judge Simon Cowell praised him as "the best magician ever" on the Britain's Got Talent reality competition.

—Markos Papadatos

The Arkansas native competing on the popular reality dating show The Bachelor has advanced to become one of only three remaining contestants.

—arkansasonline.com

… beat out 20,000 applicants to become one of 18 final contestants on Hell's Kitchen, the reality cooking show that banks on aspiring chefs' ambition (and vulnerabilities) and chef Gordon Ramsay's volatility.

—Sarah Reiss

Phrases

in reality

: in actual fact

Synonyms

• actuality
• case
• fact
• materiality

Examples of reality in a Sentence

the difference between fiction and reality

The reality is that we can't afford to buy a house.

He used television as an escape from reality.

They made the plan a reality.

Recent Examples on the Web

The reality is that 900 million Windows 10 users are not suddenly going to move in the next 12-months, and many of the 300 million Windows 10 (and older OS) users with incompatible hardware are not the ones who will drive 2025’s PC buying surge. —Zak Doffman, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024

The story of a novelist who begins to lose his grip on reality when he’s trapped with his family in an isolated hotel continues to give us shivers. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 13 Oct. 2024

It is expected to take some years still before self-driving cars become a mainstream reality on public roads, with regulators concerned over the safety features embedded into such vehicles. —Ryan Browne, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2024

In order to give the actor maximum flexibility (and themselves the ability to catch his best moments on the fly), Sher and Phillips developed a method of shooting with no rehearsal, no marks, and unobtrusive lighting from sources that are always based in reality. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reality

• augmented reality
• divorced from reality
• in reality
• losing his grip on reality
• lost touch with reality
• reality check
• reality shows
• reality TV/television
• virtual reality

Kids Definition

reality

noun

re·​al·​i·​ty rē-ˈal-ət-ē 

plural realities

1

: the quality or state of being real

2

: someone or something real or actual

our dream became a reality

3

: television programming that shows videos of actual occurrences (as police chases, stunts, or natural disasters)