Meaning & use
reality
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Meanings
noununcountable
The way things truly are, as opposed to how they seem or how people would like them to be.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: face reality; also countable: a harsh reality.
Patterns
- in reality
- face reality
- the reality of something
In reality, the trip cost twice as much as planned.
He refused to face reality and kept spending.
The film shows the reality of life at sea.
nouncountable
A real fact or situation that exists, especially a hard one.
Grammar: Countable: the harsh realities of life.
Patterns
- a reality for someone
- become a reality
Climate change is a reality for coastal towns.
Her dream of owning a bakery became a reality.
They must accept the economic realities.
noununcountableformal
The state of being real rather than imagined.
Grammar: Uncountable; formal.
Patterns
- the reality of something
Scientists doubted the reality of the signal.
He questioned the reality of the threat.
Word forms
| plural | realities |
|---|
Common combinations
- in reality
- In reality, nobody noticed the mistake.
- face reality
- You have to face reality.
- harsh reality
- The harsh reality is that prices will rise.
- virtual reality
- She tried a virtual reality game.
- become a reality
- The plan became a reality.
- reality check
- The numbers were a reality check.
Synonyms and how they differ
- truth
- Stresses what is correct in statements, reality refers to how the world is.
- fact
- A single true piece of information.
- actuality
- Formal and rarer.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: reality or realty?
reality vs realty
Realty means real estate; reality means the real state of things.
Practice
He imagined easy wealth, but the ___ was years of hard work.
Choose one answer.
The reality is how things actually are. Fantasy and illusion are the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reality”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.