realistic

adjective

re·​al·​is·​tic ˌrē-ə-ˈli-stik 

1

: of, relating to, or marked by literary or artistic realism : accurately representing what is natural or real

a realistic novel

realistic portraiture

realistic sound effects

Such films tend to be more expressionistic than realistic.

—Ira Konigsberg

: convincingly rendered to appear natural

Realistic, sensitive artificial skin would be an important step towards making the prosthetic feel like an extension of the body.

—Julian Smith

2

: able to see things as they really are and to deal with them in a practical way

a sensible, realistic person/attitude

trying to be realistic about their chances for success

3

: based on what is real rather than on what is wanted or hoped for : not impractical or visionary

a realistic plan

realistic expectations

setting realistic goals

It's not realistic to expect people to spend that much money on wedding gifts.

For the first time, people with cancers that have long outwitted science have a realistic chance of getting a miracle, too.

—Sharon Begley

realistically

ˌrē-ə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

depicting a scene realistically

approaching a problem realistically

Synonyms

• down-to-earth
• earthy
• hardheaded
• matter-of-fact
• practical
• pragmatic
• pragmatical

Examples of realistic in a Sentence

high schoolers who need to be more realistic in their career choices, as so few people end up as rock stars

those special effects look really realistic—I'd never guess they were all computer-generated

Recent Examples on the Web

The video has garnered more than 3.4 million views, captivating digital audiences with its hauntingly realistic portrayal of a bygone era. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024

The realistic goal setting by prioritizing the skill-relevant courses has assisted our employees in effectively dealing with this FOMO. —Praveen Andapalli, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

The examples OpenAI gave during its beta unveiling ranged from animated a monster and kangaroo to realistic videos of people, like a woman walking down a street in Tokyo or a cinematic movie trailer of a spaceman on a salt desert. —James Powel, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2024

Duchamp spent the last twenty years of his life working in secret on a three-dimensional tableau vivant of a naked, headless female body in a realistic landscape, a strangely disturbing image that is both a summary of his meta-retinal art and a total departure from it. —Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing realistic

• photo-realistic

Kids Definition

realistic

adjective

re·​al·​is·​tic

ˌrē-ə-ˈlis-tik,

ˌri-ə-

1

: true to life or nature

a realistic painting

2

: ready to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly

a realistic approach

realistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb