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 ReissExamples 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
The reality is that if the 32 slots at the Club World Cup were to be the best vs the best in terms of quality, it would be dominated by European teams, but that would not aid FIFA’s mission to globalise the game.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 16 June 2025
MrBeast’s reality game show broke viewership records on Amazon.
—Forbes Video, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
How that will all work out in reality is still being determined.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025
His weekend posts about Iran and Israel avoid reality.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reality
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Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 16 June 2025
MrBeast’s reality game show broke viewership records on Amazon.
—Forbes Video, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
How that will all work out in reality is still being determined.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025
His weekend posts about Iran and Israel avoid reality.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reality
Cite this Entry
“Reality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reality. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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)
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