reality
HighNeutral to Formal (varies by context; common in academic, everyday, and media discourse)
Definition
Meaning
The state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to how they are imagined, wished for, or believed to be; that which is true, factual, or genuine.
1. In philosophy, the fundamental nature of the world. 2. In media/entertainment, a genre of television or film purporting to show unscripted real-life situations. 3. Something that is real and tangible, an actual fact or event. 4. The quality of being lifelike or realistic.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Reality" often forms a binary pair with concepts like 'fantasy', 'illusion', or 'theory'. It can be used both uncountably (e.g., 'escape from reality') and countably (e.g., 'harsh realities'). The philosophical sense is highly abstract, while the media sense is concrete and commercial.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. The term 'reality TV' is universally used. Minor potential difference: In British English, 'in reality' might be slightly more frequent than 'in actual fact' compared to US usage, but both are common.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + reality (face/accept/escape/deny reality)[adjective] + reality (harsh/brutal/grim reality)reality + [verb] (reality sinks in/sets in/hits)in realitythe reality of + [noun phrase] (the reality of the situation)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In reality (used to contrast with an assumption)”
- “Reality bites (a realization that life can be difficult)”
- “A reality check (a return to practical facts)”
- “A dose of reality”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss market conditions, financial results, or strategic challenges (e.g., 'The reality of the quarterly figures forced a strategy shift.').
Academic
Central in philosophy, physics, sociology, and media studies. Discussed as 'social reality', 'constructed reality', 'objective reality'.
Everyday
Common in conversations about life, problems, media, and plans (e.g., 'Let's get back to reality.' 'The reality is we can't afford it.').
Technical
In computing: 'virtual reality', 'augmented reality', 'mixed reality'. In physics: debates about the nature of quantum reality.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No direct verb form. The related verb is 'realise'.
- They sought to reality-test their hypothesis. (rare, technical)
American English
- No direct verb form. The related verb is 'realize'.
- The show aims to reality-check its participants. (colloquial, from 'reality check')
adverb
British English
- No direct adverb form. Use 'in reality' or 'really'.
- He spoke reality-adjacent truths. (very informal, jargony)
American English
- No direct adverb form. Use 'in reality' or 'really'.
- The film is reality-inspired. (compound adjective use)
adjective
British English
- She's a reality TV contestant.
- He faced a reality-check moment.
American English
- She's a reality show star.
- It was a reality-based drama.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I watch reality TV with my family.
- The film is not real, it is not reality.
- The reality is that learning a language takes time.
- He finally faced the reality of his financial problems.
- Virtual reality headsets are becoming more affordable.
- There's a stark contrast between her optimistic plans and the harsh reality of the market.
- Postmodern thinkers question the existence of an objective reality independent of human perception.
- The documentary blurred the line between crafted narrative and raw reality.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: REAL IT Y. It's about what is REAL, right now, as IT truly is. The 'Y' suffix turns the adjective 'real' into a noun describing the state or quality.
Conceptual Metaphor
REALITY IS A SOLID OBJECT/SUBSTANCE (grasp reality, harsh reality); REALITY IS A CONTAINER (live in a different reality, escape from reality); REALITY IS A LENS/VIEW (see reality, perception of reality).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating Russian "реальность" as always meaning *reality*. In some contexts, "действительность" or "настоящее" might map better to 'actuality' or 'the present'.
- The phrase "по факту" is closer to 'in fact' or 'actually', not "in reality".
- The media term "реалити-шоу" is a direct borrowing, but the core word 'reality' is not used as a modifier in Russian the same way (e.g., 'reality star' would need explanation).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'really' as a noun (*the really of the situation*).
- Confusing 'reality' with 'realism' (the latter is an artistic style or attitude).
- Overusing 'in reality' as a simple discourse marker where 'actually' or 'in fact' is more natural.
- Misspelling as 'realety' or 'realilty'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'reality' used as a countable noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The plural 'realities' is used to refer to multiple aspects, facts, or situations that are real (e.g., 'the economic and social realities of the country').
'Reality' is the state of what is real. 'Realism' is 1) an artistic style aiming to depict reality accurately, or 2) a pragmatic attitude of accepting things as they are.
They are often interchangeable. 'In reality' can carry a stronger sense of contrasting appearance with underlying truth. 'In fact' often introduces supporting evidence, and 'actually' can correct a misunderstanding.
Not traditionally. In compounds like 'reality TV' or 'reality check', it functions as a noun modifier. The true adjective is 'real' or sometimes 'realistic'.
Explore