Word family noun realism realist reality unreality realization adjective real unreal realistic ≠ unrealistic verb realize adverb real really realistically ≠ unrealistically
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrealizerea‧lize (also realise British English) /ˈrɪəlaɪz/ ●●● S1 W1 verb [transitive] 1 understandREALIZE to know and understand something, or suddenly begin to understand itrealize (that) I suddenly realized that the boy was crying. Do you realize you’re an hour late?realize who/what/how etc I’m sorry, I didn’t realize who you were. It took us a while to realize the extent of the tragedy. It was only later that I realized my mistake. ► Do not say that you ‘realize about/of something’. Say that you realize something.GRAMMAR: Using the progressive• In this meaning, realize is not usually used in the progressive. You say: Nobody realizes how important this is. ✗Don’t say: Nobody is realizing how important this is.• In spoken English, people sometimes say I’m realizing to say that they have recently begun to realize something: Now I’m a parent, I’m realizing what my parents went through.2 achieve formalSUCCEED IN DOING something to achieve something that you were hoping to achieve She never realized her ambition of winning an Olympic gold medal. a young singer who has not yet realized her full potential (=achieved as much as she can achieve)3 → somebody’s worst fears were realized4 money a) BMONEY formal to obtain or earn an amount of money The campaign realized $5000. We realized a small profit on the sale of the house. b) BMONEY realize an asset technical to change something that you own into money by selling itTHESAURUSrealize to begin to understand, notice, or know something that you did not understand etc beforeI hadn’t realized that Ben was his brother.She suddenly realized who the man in the photograph was.become aware to gradually realize that something is happening or is true, over a period of timeHe slowly became aware that he was not alonePeople are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of cars on the environment. dawn on somebody if something dawns on you, you realize it for the first time – often used in the phrase it dawned on somebodyIt dawned on me that he could be lying.It only dawned on her that she was in danger when she saw rescue workers running away from the building.He thought about the dream for a long time before its meaning began to dawn on him. sink in if something sinks in, you begin to realize its full meaning or importance, especially graduallyIt took a few minutes for the doctor’s words to sink in.The reality of what I had done slowly began to sink in.hit if a fact hits you, you suddenly understand it and how important it isIt hit me one day that he didn’t care. He’d talk when I phoned him, but he’d never call me.strike if an idea or thought strikes you, you suddenly think of itIt suddenly struck her what a risk she was taking.A thought has just struck me - there must be other people with the same problem. → See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
realize• The initial campaign has realized $5000 in cash and pledges.• "She's been promoted to chief executive." "Oh, really? I didn't realize."• Oh, is that your chair? Sorry, I didn't realize.• Women dieters, she realized, had been duped.• Tim only realized his mistake the next day.• Even Horton's family hadn't realized how sick he was, both physically and emotionally.• Mitch Snyder may have realized it was his best chance of making some kind of mark on the parish.• Then I realized it was Malpass.• We were obliged to realize most of our assets.• Astonishingly the Commission failed to realize that its proposed ratio of one additional member for three constituency members would be inadequate.• Owen realized that was what they had come for.• I realize that you are very busy, but could I talk to you for a few minutes?• None of us realized the danger we were in.• Gabby felt tears sting her eyes, suddenly realizing the full force of what was happening.• Neither she nor many of the other pilots had the vision to realize they were looking at the future.• He'd cried out before he realized what the obstruction was: a pile of bollards.realize (that)• They realized a new star had emerged and a most unusual one at that.• Margaret suddenly realized he was crying.• You don't realize how fond she is of you.• Then I realized she meant the hollies but they looked black to me, and the grass was brown and dead-looking.• As Miranda poured her coffee, she realized that checking the share price would now be her first priority every morning.• As the Geneva negotiations approached a denouement, he finally realized that his own status hung dangerously in the balance.• You realize that I don't have a choice.• We didn't realize that it would take so long to get here.• Dole has promised to seek a balanced budget by 2002, but he also realizes that the government must continue to function.• Only now do I realize that there is no other nation of the world in which people begin with the ones column.realized ... potential• Margaret Thatcher, too, realized the potential of having this major capital project financed by the private sector.From Longman Business Dictionaryrealizerea‧lize /ˈrɪəlaɪz/ (also realise British English) verb [transitive]1realize money/profits etcFINANCE to make money from somethingHe estimated they could realize $115 million on the sale before taxes.The company was able to realize a 35% increase in operating profit.2realize a gain/lossFINANCE to sell something that has increased in value or lost valuePeople rushed to realize gains because the capital gains tax rate was about to rise.The bank will realize losses from sales of certain parts of its investment portfolio.3realize assetsFINANCE to sell assets that you own in order to make moneyThey have three years to realize the firm’s assets and pay back as much of the debt as possible.4realize an ambition/a goal etc to achieve something that you were hoping to achieveBoth of these boys realized their ambitions and become successful solicitors.→ See Verb tableOrigin realize (1600-1700) French réaliser, from Old French real; → REAL1 