Meaning & use

realistic

adjective·Everyday

Having a practical view of what is achievable, or closely resembling real life or actual conditions.

See it in a sentence

Be realistic about how much you can finish before the deadline.

The video game's graphics are so realistic that some scenes look like photographs.

A note on using this word

Realistic can describe a person's outlook on expectations or the accuracy of a representation, so context clarifies which sense applies.

Words with a similar meaning

practicallifelike

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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