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English

realism

gb/ɹˈiəlɪzəm/ us/ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
B2 English
~ 7800
Senses
0 senses
Noun B2 property
1

practical, unsentimental attitude

A way of thinking where you see and accept things as they really are, not as you wish they were.

Usage pattern: [someone]'s realism about [a situation]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "realism" with "reality" and "realistic". Use "reality" for what actually exists (e.g., "the reality of the situation"), "realistic" as an adjective (e.g., "a realistic plan"), and "realism" for the attitude or quality of being realistic (e.g., "I like your realism").
Synonyms
practicality (Focuses on doing what is useful; less about attitude and more about action.) | pragmatism (Stresses choosing what works in practice, especially in problem-solving or politics.) | level-headedness (Emphasizes calm, balanced thinking, especially under pressure.)
Antonyms
idealism (Focuses on high principles or perfect outcomes, even when they are not realistic.) | wishful thinking (Believing something because you want it to be true, not because the facts support it.)
Collocations
a sense of realism |a dose of realism |a touch of realism |harsh realism |clear-eyed realism |refreshing realism
Themes
thinking |personality |work |core_vocabulary
Examples
  • Her realism about the company’s finances helped them avoid a crisis.
  • We need a bit of realism before we promise the client that deadline.
  • The mayor’s realism on housing costs made his plan more believable.
  • His usual realism disappears whenever he talks about winning the lottery.
  • The report brings some much-needed realism to the climate debate.
Learner examples
  • Her realism helped the team make a safe plan.
  • We must show realism about how much money we have.
  • His realism sometimes sounds cold, but it is honest.
  • The teacher spoke with realism about how hard the exam would be.
Noun B2 property
2

lifelike quality in art or media

How much a film, game, picture, or story looks or feels like real life.

Usage pattern: the realism of [a film / game / picture]
Common mistake:
Learners may mix this meaning with the art movement "Realism". When you talk about how real something LOOKS or FEELS (a game, movie, scene), you usually mean the general quality of realism, not the historical movement.
Synonyms
authenticity (Suggests truth and genuineness, not just visual lifelike detail.) | lifelikeness (Directly emphasizes looking or sounding like real life; slightly more technical or descriptive.)
Antonyms
artificiality (Emphasizes that something feels fake or obviously made, not like real life.) | cartoonishness (Suggests exaggerated, simplified, or comic style that clearly does not aim at realism.)
Collocations
gritty realism |graphic realism |cinematic realism |increase the realism |heighten the realism |sense of realism
Themes
media |art |technology |arts_entertainment
Examples
  • The film’s brutal realism made some viewers uncomfortable.
  • New lighting effects add a surprising level of realism to the video game.
  • The novel’s emotional realism is what makes it so powerful.
  • The show sacrifices realism in favor of big plot twists.
  • The director wanted more realism, so he used natural light and non-professional actors.
Learner examples
  • The game’s realism makes you feel like you are really there.
  • The movie has strong realism and shows life as it is.
  • Better sound can improve the realism of a film.
  • Some people like fantasy, but others prefer realism in stories.
Noun technical C1 entity
3

artistic or literary movement

A style in art and writing that shows normal life and people in a simple, true-to-life way, without making them more beautiful or perfect.

Usage pattern: Realism in [painting / literature / nineteenth-century fiction]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write "realism style" when they mean "the style of Realism" or simply "Realism" with a capital R, especially in titles (e.g., "French Realism"). They may also confuse this with the general idea of looking real; here it refers to a specific artistic or literary approach.
Synonyms
naturalism (A closely related style that often pushes realism further, stressing detailed, sometimes harsh, and socially deterministic views of life.)
Antonyms
romanticism (Favors emotion, imagination, and idealization over accurate everyday detail.) | expressionism (Distorts reality to express inner emotions rather than copying external appearances.)
Collocations
literary realism |novels of realism |social realism |19th-century realism |French realism |in the tradition of Realism
Themes
art |literature |history |arts_entertainment |education
Examples
  • Realism in nineteenth-century French painting challenged traditional academic styles.
  • Her work combines the detailed observation of realism with bold, modern themes.
  • The course traces the rise of realism in European literature.
  • Social realism brought the lives of factory workers onto the canvas.
  • Critics saw the novel as a turning point from romanticism to realism.
Learner examples
  • We studied Realism in our art history class.
  • Realism in literature shows normal life in a simple, clear way.
  • Many writers used realism to talk about poor workers.
  • The painter moved from romantic style to realism.
Noun technical C1 entity
4

power-focused theory in politics

In politics and international relations, a theory that says countries mainly try to protect themselves and get more power, because there is no world government above them.

Usage pattern: realism in [international relations / foreign policy]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this technical sense with simply being "realistic" in everyday speech. In academic texts about world politics, "realism" usually refers to a specific theory, not just a practical attitude.
Synonyms
realpolitik (Commonly used in a similar sense for practical, interest-based foreign policy; less strictly theoretical, more about practice.) | power politics (Focuses on the struggle for power; overlaps with realism but is more descriptive and less tied to academic theory.)
Antonyms
idealism (In this context, stresses moral values, cooperation, and international law over power and security.) | liberalism (In IR theory, emphasizes institutions, interdependence, and cooperation instead of constant power competition.)
Collocations
classical realism |neorealism |realism and liberalism |foreign-policy realism |a return to realism |critics of realism
Themes
politics |international_relations |education
Examples
  • The book offers a clear introduction to realism in international relations.
  • From the standpoint of realism, smaller states must balance against rising powers.
  • Her foreign-policy realism clashes with his more idealistic approach.
  • Realism predicts that great powers will act to preserve the balance of power.
  • The crisis led many analysts to rediscover the insights of realism.
Learner examples
  • Realism says that states always think about power and security.
  • In class we compared realism and liberalism in world politics.
  • According to realism, there is no world government above states.
  • His speech showed realism about the limits of international law.
Noun technical C2 entity
5

philosophical belief in mind-independent reality

In philosophy, the belief that some things, facts, or truths are real even if no person sees, thinks, or talks about them.

Usage pattern: realism about [morality / scientific theories / universals]
Common mistake:
Learners may think philosophical "realism" is simply the same as being practical or realistic. In philosophy, it is a technical term about whether things exist or are true independently of our minds.
Synonyms
objectivism (In some philosophical contexts, stresses that values or facts are objective; usage varies and may refer to specific schools of thought.)
Antonyms
anti-realism (General label for views that deny that certain entities or facts exist independently of our minds or practices.) | idealism (Holds that reality is fundamentally mental or dependent on minds, contrasting with many forms of realism.)
Collocations
metaphysical realism |moral realism |scientific realism |realism and anti-realism |naive realism |epistemic realism
Themes
philosophy |education |science
Examples
  • The course explores debates between realism and anti-realism about scientific theories.
  • Moral realism claims that there are objective moral facts.
  • She defends a modest form of realism about mathematical objects.
  • Naive realism treats the world as largely just as we perceive it to be.
  • His book is a detailed attack on metaphysical realism.
Learner examples
  • Realism in philosophy says that some things are real even if nobody thinks about them.
  • Moral realism says that some actions are truly right or wrong, not only in our minds.
  • Many philosophers today discuss realism and anti-realism about science.
  • She supports realism about the external world.
Grammar
Dictionary form
realism
IPA
GB/ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
US/ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
Syllables & stress
real - ism (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (real)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: realism
  • Plural: realism, realisms
Word family
Forms
realisms noun
Core family
real adjective A2 really adverb A2 reality noun B1 realistic adjective B1 realist noun B2
Related words
realistically adverb realize verb A2 realization noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
unreal adjective B2 unrealistic adjective B1 unrealistically adverb
Advanced or less common
realizable adjective
Expressions

a dose of realism

1
/ə dˈoʊs əv ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase

adding some realistic thinking

Some realistic thinking that makes plans or hopes more sensible.

Examples
  • The project needs a dose of realism before we announce the launch date.
  • Her comments brought a welcome dose of realism to the discussion.

a touch of realism

1
/ə tˈʌt͡ʃ əv ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase

adding a small amount of realism

A small amount of realistic detail that makes something feel more true or real.

Examples
  • The writer adds a touch of realism by using real place names.
  • The sound of traffic outside the studio gives the show a touch of realism.

gritty realism

1
/ɡɹˈɪti ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase

harsh, very lifelike style

A style in films, books, or art that shows life in a very real, detailed, and sometimes ugly or hard way.

Examples
  • The series is known for its gritty realism and complex characters.
  • Some viewers found the gritty realism of the crime scenes too disturbing.

political realism

1
/pəlˈɪtɪkəl ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase technical

power-focused view of politics

A way of thinking about politics that looks mainly at power and practical limits, not at perfect moral goals.

Examples
  • His speech mixed political realism with a hopeful vision for reform.
  • Political realism suggests that leaders must sometimes choose the lesser of two evils.

social realism

1
/sˈoʊʃəl ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase technical

realistic art on social issues

An art and writing style that shows real life problems of normal and poor people in a realistic way.

Examples
  • The museum is hosting an exhibition on British social realism.
  • Social realism often shows factories, crowded housing, and hard working conditions.

magical realism

1
/mˈæd͡ʒɪkəl ɹˈiəlɪzəm/
fixed phrase literary

literary style mixing real and magical

A style in books, films, and art where the world looks normal and real, but small magical or impossible things happen and are treated as normal.

Examples
  • Her novel uses magical realism to explore memories and history.
  • She wrote her thesis on the use of magical realism in Latin American novels.
  • Magical realism became popular through Latin American writers.
  • The director uses magical realism to show the characters’ inner lives.
  • Magical realism often blurs the line between everyday life and fantasy.
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