reality

noun

rē-ˈa-lə-tē How to pronounce reality (audio)
Definition of realitynext
1
as in case
something that actually exists the ambition to make his dreams a reality

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in existence
the fact of being or of being real no one denies the reality of electricity, though few people understand it fully

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fact
the quality of being actual the reality of the situation finally dawned on her and she sat down in stunned silence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in object
one that has a real and independent existence you'll need to cope with a whole new set of realities once you've become a parent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reality Messi and the Giants follows Leo, a 12-year-old boy who becomes trapped in an alternate reality ruled by giants. — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026 Fans like this, making outlandish claims that aren't based in facts or reality, are what is wrong with the WNBA. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The problem was leftists who ignore the realities of long covid. — Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026 On Big Brother, Rick Devens was labeled a reality television icon. — Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reality
  1. case
  2. existence
  3. fact
  4. object
  5. truth
  6. entity
  7. substance
  8. thing
Noun
  • In the wake of the Cornell case, there have been calls for greater regulation and even bans on fraternities.
    — Richard Hall, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The number of emergency applications now rivals the annual tally of cases the justices consider with full briefing and oral arguments, Alito wrote in a new book released Tuesday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of case
Noun
  • Noonan's column also manifests the larger substantive concern, already being expressed by some of those involved in the rapid development of AI, that the new technology could escape human control and even threaten the existence of humankind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The artist Rosemary Mayer was drawn to the idea of setting one’s sights on this rich existence of the ordinary material world.
    — Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of existence
Noun
  • The fact is, surveillance of women's intimate health data puts them at risk.
    — Sparkle Rainey Tribune News Service, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The Bass campaign, citing the fact that Raman appeared on Piker’s stream the same day, fired off an email to reporters claiming the councilmember had lied about her reasons for missing the Jewish heritage event.
    — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of fact
Noun
  • Building conventional simulations for robot testing can be time-consuming and costly, Taiuti said, requiring developers to create three-dimensional objects and configure scenes.
    — Wen Shao, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
  • To assist Noah, Sinestro has also forged a new lantern from the water on this dead alien planet — imbued with Zoe’s fear toxins — causing golden cracks in the object’s surface.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of object
Noun
  • Swift appears as the ghost of Farrell’s former wife, warning Johnson about her husband and revealing the dark truth behind his past.
    — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2026
  • As with the Yale-set After the Hunt, Guadagnino and the production designer Stefano Baisi grew obsessed with verisimilitude as an index of truth.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of truth
Noun
  • Enetec was sanctioned in July under a presidential executive order authorizing sanctions to Cuban entities posing a direct threat to national security or involved in repression.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Private equity firms also sometimes own both physician staffing firms and Independent Dispute Resolution entities, creating a conflict of interest and undermining the law's fairness.
    — Anna Schecter, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of entity
Noun
  • The Journal noted how Moore, then Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, gave several players hits of the substance during the first quarter of Michigan’s victory over Ohio State earlier that year.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Chemists knew that for such a reaction to occur, the catalyst (the substance that drives the reaction) would have to have a specific chirality (handedness) itself.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of substance
Noun
  • Those who study these things say an export ban would surely backfire.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The concierge is very knowledgeable and can get guests access to things like dinner or event reservations during Sundance Film Festival, and similar feats that otherwise would be impossible—and take that from me as an ex-local.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of thing

Phrases Containing reality

Browse Nearby Words

realities
reality
realizable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reality. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on reality

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reality

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All