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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of real
Nicholas Ducassi, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025
These individuals deserve compassion, support, and real solutions to address their pain—not irreversible procedures that leave them scarred for life.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Everything was going to be taken in a real serious way.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for real
Adjective
That was my first real relationship to the island and that culture.
—Nicholas Ducassi, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025
These individuals deserve compassion, support, and real solutions to address their pain—not irreversible procedures that leave them scarred for life.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Adverb
The Saturday Night Live alum, who starred on the late-night sketch series from 2001 until 2008, recently explained that the 50th-anniversary special was so star-studded that all of its talent had to get real cozy.
—EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Everything was going to be taken in a real serious way.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for real
Recent Examples of Synonyms for real
Adjective
-
The Substack offers an unfiltered, genuine take on navigating the marketplace, from the highs of scoring a rare vintage gem to the lows of watching the dream item go out of stock.—
Gaby Keiderling,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Leaders must cultivate new skills to recognize complexity, evaluate situations accurately, and respond with genuine agility rather than default behaviors.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Tate’s ideology was everywhere, which is why Barker thinks part of the answer to the manosphere’s reach is highlighting how rhetoric can lead to actual violence.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
23 Mar. 2025
-
And Paul, Weiss then settled that with the administration for basically no actual concessions, except a great press release for President Trump.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Voters are not famous for their patience or, as Joe Biden could explain, their fondness for higher prices, something that’s true even if this is a one-off adjustment.—
The Editors,
National Review,
28 Mar. 2025
-
When each channel is evaluated independently, the true value of awareness campaigns becomes invisible.—
Cody Greco,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Williams seems to have fundamentally misunderstood the novel, or at the very least to have only a diluted grasp of it.—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
-
And the headliner of the group, of course, was quarterback Cam Ward, who very likely could be the No. 1 overall pick when the draft gets underway on April 24 in Green Bay.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Japan is known for great, authentic luxury, and the seller has great reviews on eBay (and TikTok).—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
22 Mar. 2025
-
To find one-of-a-kind spots around the globe that offer transformative experiences, tempting travelers to venture farther and embrace the authentic.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Next week, the NTSB intends to release the hazardous materials, meteorological and survival factors factual reports and a study conducted by its office of engineering on vessel size increases and associated safety risk.—
Alexandra Koch,
Fox News,
21 Mar. 2025
-
But there’s a simple way to take control of the situation: stay factual.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This ensures frequent call performance remains unaffected while reducing storage costs.—
Gaurav Bansal,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Despite the attack, train movements and schedules remain unaffected.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Encourage candidates to ask questions and provide honest answers.—
Rebecca Skilbeck,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Sellers are still obliged to provide accurate and honest information.—
Ron Lieber,
New York Times,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Real.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/real. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share