1
as in genuine
being exactly as appears or as claimed
this shirt is real silk, not polyester
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in actual
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
asked her parents if the Tooth Fairy was real
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in true
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
real folk who don't put on airs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in very
to a great degree
this fish tastes real good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of real
James McNicholas, New York Times, 25 May 2026
The story reflected what was happening in real life because Patti LuPone is in our finale.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 25 May 2026
Brittany Murrey, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Josh Jung has been the one real bright spot, while Jake Burger has provided power but has done little else.
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for real
Adjective
With both clubs headed off to European finals, the only real jeopardy in the game came from injuries.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 25 May 2026
The story reflected what was happening in real life because Patti LuPone is in our finale.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 25 May 2026
Adverb
On the other hand, given the growing demand for AI-fluent workers, there’s a real competitive cost to only recruiting from college campuses.
—Brittany Murrey, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Josh Jung has been the one real bright spot, while Jake Burger has provided power but has done little else.
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for real
Recent Examples of Synonyms for real
Adjective
-
Political observers argue that Hilton’s conservative media profile and Bianco’s law enforcement background resonate with rural and suburban voters on issues like crime and immigration, suggesting their campaigns address genuine policy concerns beyond election denialism.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
-
But now, in the era of high pressing and sudden forward bursts, Casemiro, Martin Zubimendi, Moises Caicedo and Ryan Gravenberch all offer a genuine goal threat in open play.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
That space was brought to life inside the Plaza’s actual theater, where the walls were repapered in gold, adding to the gold lame Austrian curtain onstage.—
Rachel Wallace,
Architectural Digest,
29 May 2026
-
More affordable housing near transit with actual income targeting for the families already living here.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is particularly true for the relationship between the United States and China but can be seen elsewhere as well.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
The legacy of Assad’s prisons is the true peril that faces us.—
Amer Matar,
The Dial,
26 May 2026
Adverb
-
To be sure, these were very different presidents.—
William Muck,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
And Martha Stewart is just like me, for real—the most inexpensive product in her skin care routine is a $10 Mario Badescu body lotion, and on the very polar opposite end, the most expensive is a $2,695 laser device.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Marks and his partner, Robert Hazan, both Americans, told the Naperville Sun in 2020 that business concept for Guzman y Gomez stemmed from their inability to find authentic Mexican food in Australia.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
Susie notes that many familiar foods fall into this category, including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi; aged cheeses like cheddar, gouda and parmesan; as well as miso, tempeh, kombucha, soy sauce, authentic sourdough bread and certain pickles.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
The scarcity of factual support for the claims hasn’t been lost on technologists and encryption experts.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026
-
On a factual task, in domains like law or medicine, disagreement is real but bounded.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Primaries for the state's three other House seats unaffected by redrawing were held last week.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
-
Earlier this month, Reform UK, a right-wing populist group promoting stricter border controls, shattered any illusion that Liverpool, which since the 1980s has been associated with the left, is unaffected by political tides.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Adverb
-
Specifically, at Laurel, the distance from the gate to the first turn is a bit over 700 feet, which is to say, not just short, but damn short for a field of fourteen.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
The Nobel-prize-winning novelist Thomas Mann (Hanns Zischler) and his daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller) go on an unsentimental journey in 1949 through West and East Germany in Pawel Pawlikowski’s damn-near perfect period piece Fatherland.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Real.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/real. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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