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 Englishrealityre‧al‧i‧ty /riˈæləti/ ●●● S2 W2 noun (plural realities) 1 [countable, uncountable]REAL/NOT IMAGINARY what actually happens or is true, not what is imagined or thought the distinction between fantasy and reality TV is used as an escape from reality. I think the government has lost touch with reality (=no longer understands what is real or true). political realitiesharsh/grim/stark reality Millions of people live with the harsh realities of unemployment.the reality is that The reality is that young people will not go into teaching until salaries are higher. The paperless office may one day become a reality.2 → in reality3 [uncountable] the fact that something exists or is happening She had never accepted the reality of her pregnancy. → virtual realityCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesthe harsh/grim/stark reality (=conditions that are really very bad)We want to protect our children from the harsh reality of our violent world.political/social/economic realitiesHe's ignoring political realities.verbsface reality (=accept it)It's painful, but you have to face reality.confront a reality (=consider or deal with it)They had to confront some unpleasant realities about themselves.ignore a realityThey are ignoring the reality of Arab politics.wake up to reality (=realize what is happening or real)Well, they need to wake up to reality.lose touch with reality (=no longer know about ordinary things or what is possible)If all you have is the show-business world, you kind of lose touch with reality.escape from realityThe programmes help viewers escape from reality.bring somebody back to reality (=make them realize what is happening around them or true)She was brought back to reality by the pain in her ankle.become a reality (=really happen, after being hoped for, feared, etc by someone)Last June, her longed-for baby finally became a reality.reflect reality (=match or show what is really happening or true)Do these novels accurately reflect contemporary reality?bear no relation to reality (=not match what is really happening or true)His vision of European politics bears no relation to reality.be divorced from reality (=not connected in any way to what is really happening)His ideas are completely divorced from reality.phrasesa dose of reality (=an experience of what things are really like)I got my first dose of reality when I reported to work at my new job.somebody's grasp of reality (=their understanding of reality)They portrayed her as a sick woman with only a tenuous grasp of reality. Examples from the Corpus
reality• Now, as the barriers come down between East and West, that prospect will become a reality.• Small children often can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality.• There are realities that I can not change.• As it turned out, they had all the problems one would reasonably expect, given their experiential reality.• Delane turned to drugs as an escape from reality.• But I have suggested that these three viewpoints express different ways of knowing and relating to one complex multi-layered reality.• As a result, a heavy dose of reality has descended on the Buchanan campaign.• But it refers to a religious reality that is so basic and so universal its equivalent has been found almost everywhere.• But the reality of biology is much more complicated.escape from reality• There are people out there who really do see him as the pioneer of a computer-generated escape from reality.• But the issue is more complex than the mere escape from reality into fantasy. 