reality
noun
re·al·i·ty
rē-ˈa-lə-tē 
plural realities
1
: the quality or state of being real
2
a(1)
: a real event, entity, or state of affairs
his dream became a reality
(2)
: the totality of real things and events
trying to escape from reality
b
: something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily
3
: television programming that features people (especially people who are not professional actors) dealing with real-life situations or participating in contrived activities (such as competitions)
I for one am rooting for anything that stems the rising tide of reality on television.—
Ted Cox
Ted Cox… it's a tough choice between The Voice and Dancing With the Stars. … If reality means nothing to you, then you're faced with a medical drama, a superhero drama and comedies.—Chris Harnick
—usually used before another nounChris Harnickreality stars
a reality series
reality shows
fans of reality TV/television
… critical judge Simon Cowell praised him as "the best magician ever" on the Britain's Got Talent reality competition.—Markos Papadatos
Markos PapadatosThe Arkansas native competing on the popular reality dating show The Bachelor has advanced to become one of only three remaining contestants.—arkansasonline.com
arkansasonline.com… beat out 20,000 applicants to become one of 18 final contestants on Hell's Kitchen, the reality cooking show that banks on aspiring chefs' ambition (and vulnerabilities) and chef Gordon Ramsay's volatility.—Sarah Reiss
Sarah Reiss
see also:
Examples of reality in a Sentence
the difference between fiction and reality
The reality is that we can't afford to buy a house.
He used television as an escape from reality.
They made the plan a reality.
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond that, Musk’s plans to manufacture millions of chips and robots aren’t close to becoming a reality.
—The Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
The reality star, 38, is featured as a core cast member in the new Bravo franchise’s inaugural season, which premiered on Thursday, April 2, marking her return to reality TV after getting her start on The Bachelor over a decade ago.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
That denial of reality — rooted in ignorance and contempt for science — is now official policy, as evidenced by the EPA’s rescinding of its landmark finding that greenhouse gases harm public health.
—James Speyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
To combat this scary new reality, Gilbert underwent 10 rounds of radiation to shrink the two leftover tumors in his brain.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reality
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.
The Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
The reality star, 38, is featured as a core cast member in the new Bravo franchise’s inaugural season, which premiered on Thursday, April 2, marking her return to reality TV after getting her start on The Bachelor over a decade ago.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
That denial of reality — rooted in ignorance and contempt for science — is now official policy, as evidenced by the EPA’s rescinding of its landmark finding that greenhouse gases harm public health.
—James Speyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
To combat this scary new reality, Gilbert underwent 10 rounds of radiation to shrink the two leftover tumors in his brain.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reality
Cite this Entry
“Reality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reality. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reality
noun
re·al·i·ty
rē-ˈal-ət-ē
plural realities
1
: the quality or state of being real
2
: someone or something real or actual
our dream became a reality
3
: television programming that shows videos of actual occurrences (as police chases, stunts, or natural disasters)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
