real-world

adjective

ˈrē(-ə)l-ˈwər(-ə)ld 

: existing or occurring in reality : drawn from or drawing on actual events or situations : real-life

a real-world example

… the complex relationship between a word and the real-world thing it labels.

—Jean Aitchison

Digital objects aren't bound by the same constraints as real-world objects—that is, broadly speaking, the whole point of digital objects—but they're often made to look like real-world objects anyway.

—Lev Grossman

… combine the rigors of academics with the soothing realities of real-world applications.

—Ricardo Bilton

The paintings are essentially abstract, but they don't feel abstract. They feature, besides passages of figurative drawing, a real-world aura …

—Peter Schjeldahl

Examples of real-world in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Forces of good and evil collide in a terrifying film where real-world challenges crash headlong into other worldly creatures and myths. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025

Let’s put this in a real-world scenario. —Giana Levy, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025

Sure, the product trades on hype, is highly volatile and has limited real-world applications. —Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025

These models can evaluate their own outputs better, break complex tasks into sub-tasks, and learn from feedback, potentially bringing AI closer to complex, real-world problem-solving. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for real-world

• lifeworld
• unfurled
• curled
• furled
• hurled
• knurled
• swirled
• twirled
• whirled
• whorled
• world
• netherworld