realist

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person who accepts situations as they actually are and deals with them practically rather than idealistically.

   Grammar: Countable; use a/an or the plural realists. Often used after be or become.

   Patterns

   • be a realist
   • become a realist
   • a political realist

   She's a realist and knows that the project will take longer than planned.

   As a realist, he didn't expect to win the lottery.

   The negotiator was a realist who understood the limits of what could be achieved.

2. 2nouncountablespecialist

   An artist or writer who shows life as it really is, without idealizing it.

   Grammar: Countable; often used in art or literature contexts.

   Patterns

   • a realist painter
   • a realist writer
   • the realists

   The gallery is showing works by nineteenth-century realists.

   He is a realist who paints ordinary people in everyday settings.

   The novel was written by a realist who refused to romanticize poverty.

Word forms

Common combinations

political realist

As a political realist, she knew the deal would require compromises.

hard-nosed realist

He's a hard-nosed realist when it comes to business.

be a realist

You have to be a realist about your chances of getting that job.

realist approach

The team took a realist approach to the budget.

Synonyms and how they differ

pragmatist

Focuses on practical solutions rather than theories; realist emphasizes seeing things as they are.

practical person

A general phrase; realist is more specific and often implies a contrast with idealists.

Opposites

Word family

realism noun

The attitude or style of accepting things as they are.

realistic adjective

Showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved.

realistically adverb

In a way that shows acceptance of the true situation.

Commonly confused: realist or realistic?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “realist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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