realism

The word “realism” means a practical, level-headed way of seeing the world, focused on facts rather than wishful thinking. In plain terms, an approach, in life or in art, that sticks closely to how things actually are rather than how we might imagine or wish them to be.

“Realism” is pronounced REE-uh-lih-zuhm (/ˈɹi.əlɪzəm/ in IPA).

Here is “realism” used in a sentence: “His realism made him a valuable voice in the planning meetings.”

The opposite of “realism” — its antonyms — are nominalism and antirealism.

“Realism” is a noun.

“Realism” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

“Realism” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a practical, level-headed way of seeing the world, focused on facts rather than wishful thinking.

Realism means seeing and dealing with the world as it actually is, based on facts rather than how you wish things were. Idealism, by contrast, focuses on ideal or perfect outcomes and can involve prioritizing principles or hopes over practical constraints. A realist plans around what is likely to happen; an idealist plans around what should happen.

Realism is about accurately assessing facts and probabilities, whether the outlook is good or bad, while pessimism is a tendency to expect the worst regardless of the evidence. A realistic view can be optimistic if the facts support it. People sometimes mislabel gloomy predictions as realism when they are really just pessimism.

In art, realism refers to a style that depicts people, objects, and scenes as they truly appear, without idealizing or stylizing them. It emerged as a reaction against romanticized or exaggerated depictions in earlier art movements. Realist painters and writers aimed to show ordinary life accurately, including its plain or unglamorous details.