reality

The word “reality” means the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they are imagined or wished to be. In plain terms, the way things truly are, as opposed to how we imagine, hope, or fear they might be.

“Reality” is pronounced ree-A-lih-tee (/ɹiˈæləti/ in IPA).

Here is “reality” used in a sentence: “The reality of the situation finally sank in.”

Words with a similar meaning to “reality” include truth and actuality.

The opposite of “reality” — its antonyms — is fantasy.

“Reality” is a noun.

The word “reality” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Late Latin. From French réalité, ultimately from Late Latin reālis ("real"); first used in English for "fixed property" before coming to mean "real existence" by the mid-1600s.

“Reality” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Reality is the state of things as they actually exist, whether or not anyone likes or believes them. Fantasy is something imagined or wished for that does not exist in fact. The two are often contrasted: reality is grounded in evidence, while fantasy lives only in the mind.

Perception is how an individual interprets and experiences the world through their senses and beliefs. Reality is what actually exists, independent of any one person's view. Two people can perceive the same event differently, yet the underlying reality remains the same regardless of how it is perceived.

Strictly, reality refers to objective existence — what is true whether or not we accept it. People do speak of a 'personal reality' to describe their own experience, but that is closer to perception. Philosophers debate the point, though most treat core reality as independent of individual opinion.

The clearest opposites are fantasy, illusion, and fiction — all things that exist only in the imagination rather than in fact. Words like dream and make-believe work in a similar way. Each names something unreal, standing in contrast to what genuinely exists.