Meaning & use
realistic goals
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Meanings
phraseplural
Targets or aims that are possible to achieve with the time, money, or skills you actually have.
Grammar: Always plural in this sense. Use it after verbs like set, have, or achieve: set realistic goals.
Patterns
- set realistic goals
- have realistic goals
- achieve realistic goals
- realistic goals for something
Before you start training, set realistic goals for the first month.
She has realistic goals for her business: one new customer each week.
Realistic goals help you stay motivated instead of giving up.
phraseplural
Aims that show a sensible and accurate understanding of what is actually possible.
Grammar: Often used after be or seem: The plan is realistic goals for this team. It describes the quality of being sensible.
Patterns
- be realistic goals
- seem realistic goals
- realistic goals for someone
The teacher said our goals were realistic goals, not dreams.
For a beginner, learning ten new words a day are realistic goals.
His realistic goals impressed the manager because they matched the budget.
Common combinations
- set realistic goals
- I set realistic goals for my English study each week.
- realistic goals for
- What are realistic goals for a new runner?
- achieve realistic goals
- You can achieve realistic goals with a simple plan.
- have realistic goals
- Good students have realistic goals and work steadily.
- realistic goals and deadlines
- The project needs realistic goals and deadlines.
Synonyms and how they differ
- achievable goals
- Focuses on the fact that the goals can be done; 'realistic goals' also suggests they are sensible and based on real conditions.
- practical goals
- Emphasizes usefulness and common sense rather than simply being possible.
- sensible targets
- A close match, but 'targets' is often used in business and 'goals' is more general.
Opposites
Word family
- realistic adjective
- Showing a sensible and accurate view of what is possible.
- realistically adverb
- In a way that shows a sensible view of what is possible.
- realism noun
- The quality of accepting things as they really are.
- goal noun
- Something you aim to achieve.
Commonly confused: realistic goals or idealistic goals? realistic goals or real goals?
realistic goals vs idealistic goals
Idealistic goals are based on perfect ideas and may not be possible; realistic goals are based on what can actually happen.
realistic goals vs real goals
Real goals are genuine or actual goals, not imaginary ones; realistic goals are possible and sensible.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'realistic goals' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is plural and takes no article: 'realistic goals'. Option 1 is singular and needs 'a', option 2 has 'a' with a plural noun, and option 3 is not a real word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “realistic goals”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.