realized
HighFormal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To become fully aware of a fact or understand a situation clearly.
To achieve or bring into actual existence (a plan, goal, or ambition). Also, to convert assets or property into cash (financial).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can function both as a mental state verb (understand) and an action verb (achieve). In American English, spelling is always with 'z'. In British English, both 's' and 'z' are accepted, but 's' ('realised') is more traditional.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK accepts 'realised' and 'realized', with 'realised' being more common. US uses only 'realized'. No significant difference in meaning.
Connotations
Identical across both variants.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] realized [that-clause][Subject] realized [noun phrase] (e.g., the truth)[Subject] realized [wh-clause] (e.g., how important it was)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Realize one's potential”
- “The penny dropped (UK, informal equivalent)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To convert assets into liquid capital, e.g., 'We realized the investment to cover the debt.'
Academic
To understand or become conscious of a complex concept, e.g., 'The study realized its objective of mapping the phenomenon.'
Everyday
To have a sudden understanding, e.g., 'I just realized I left my keys at home.'
Technical
To make something concrete or actual (in engineering, philosophy), e.g., 'The software realized the theoretical model.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He suddenly realised he was on the wrong train.
- She realised her ambition of publishing a novel.
American English
- He suddenly realized he was on the wrong subway.
- She realized her ambition of publishing a novel.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. 'Realized' is not an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable. 'Realized' is not an adverb.
adjective
British English
- A fully realised character in the play.
- Her worst fears were realised.
American English
- A fully realized character in the play.
- Her worst fears were realized.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I realized my mistake.
- She realized it was late.
- He realized that he had forgotten her birthday.
- They finally realized their dream of buying a house.
- Only later did she realize the full implications of his statement.
- The company realized a significant profit from the sale.
- The artist's vision was fully realized in the final installation.
- Upon reviewing the data, we realized the initial hypothesis was flawed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'It became REAL in my eyes and my mind.' Combines the idea of something becoming real (achieved) and clear (understood).
Conceptual Metaphor
UNDERSTANDING IS SEEING (I see what you mean), ACHIEVEMENT IS A JOURNEY'S END (She realized her dream).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'реализовать' meaning only 'to sell' or 'to implement'. In English, the primary meaning is mental awareness.
- Do not confuse with 'to recognize' ('узнавать'). 'Realized' is about internal understanding, not external identification.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I am realizing now.' (Less common in stative sense; prefer simple present or past) Correct: 'I realize now.' / 'I realized.'
- Incorrect: 'She realized to go.' Correct: 'She realized she had to go.' (requires a clause or noun object)
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'realized' used in a financial sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'Realized' is standard American English. 'Realised' is traditional British English, though 'realized' is also common in the UK.
Typically not for the mental awareness meaning. We use future tense of 'realize' (will realize). It can be used for future achievements in passive or conditional constructions (e.g., 'His plan will be realized next year').
'Notice' refers to the act of perceiving something with your senses. 'Realize' refers to the cognitive process of understanding the meaning or truth of what you have noticed.
In its primary meaning of 'become aware', it is often considered stative and less commonly used in continuous tenses (e.g., 'I am realizing'). In its achievement meaning, it can be more dynamic.
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