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
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 nounChris Harnickreality 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
Markos PapadatosThe Arkansas native competing on the popular reality dating show The Bachelor has advanced to become one of only three remaining contestants.—arkansasonline.com
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
Sarah ReissExamples 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
With a background as a US Congressman, reality TV star, and television commentator, Duffy did not come to the position with a deep well of knowledge about spaceflight.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 15 Aug. 2025
Back in late 2020, the married reality TV show hosts paid former NFL wide receiver Randall Cobb just over $5 million for his East Coast traditional-style residence in the San Fernando Valley community of Tarzana.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2025
The convergence of tariff anxiety and inflation reality is forcing retailers to fundamentally recalibrate their customer segmentation models.
—Shelley E. Kohan, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
In this liminal space between reality and the afterlife, Frida bargains with la Catrina, an alluring female embodiment of death popular in Mexican culture.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reality
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Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 15 Aug. 2025
Back in late 2020, the married reality TV show hosts paid former NFL wide receiver Randall Cobb just over $5 million for his East Coast traditional-style residence in the San Fernando Valley community of Tarzana.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2025
The convergence of tariff anxiety and inflation reality is forcing retailers to fundamentally recalibrate their customer segmentation models.
—Shelley E. Kohan, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
In this liminal space between reality and the afterlife, Frida bargains with la Catrina, an alluring female embodiment of death popular in Mexican culture.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reality
Cite this Entry
“Reality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reality. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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)
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