realistic

R1E1A1L1I1S1T1I1C3
/ˌɹɪəˈlɪs.tɪk//ˌɹiːjəˈlɪs.tɪk//ˌɹiːəˈlɪs.tɪk/

adjective

Expressed or represented as being accurate, practicable, or not idealistic.

“a realistic goal”

Similar
rawrealsomedown-to-earthearthyhardheadedhard-nosedpracticalgraphic
Opposite
unrealisticutopian
OriginEnglish realist ← Middle English real ← Old French ree →
CommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

adjectiverealistic (comparative more realistic, superlative most realistic)

comparative more realistic · superlative most realistic

  1. Expressed or represented as being accurate, practicable, or not idealistic.

    A realistic appraisal of the situation.

    1 more example

    Scotland needed a victory by eight points to have a realistic chance of progressing to the knock-out stages, and for long periods of a ferocious contest looked as if they might pull it off.

    2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport

    Synonyms: raw

  2. Relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were.

    A realistic novel about the Victorian poor.

  3. Possible or practical to achieve; based on what is real or practical.

    a realistic goal

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveExpressed or represented as being accurate, practicable, or not idealistic.

Similar
raw
Similar
realsome
Opposite
unrealisticutopian

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveaware or expressing awareness of things as they really are

Similar
down-to-earthearthyhardheadedhard-nosedpracticalgraphiclifelikepictorialliving
Opposite
unrealistic

adjectiverepresenting what is real; not abstract or ideal

Similar
naturalisticrepresentational
Also see
down-to-earthearthygraphicgroundedhardheadedhard-nosedlifelikelivingnaturalisticpictorialpracticalpragmaticrealrealsometough-mindedtrue to lifeveridicalvirtualvivid

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(H)reh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(H)reh₁ís
  3. Proto-Italic*reis
  4. Classical Latinrēs
  5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  7. Late Latinreālis
  8. Old Frenchree
  9. Middle Englishreal
  10. Englishreal
  11. Englishrealist
  12. Englishrealistic

From realist + -ic.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian реалисти́чен, реалистичен
  • реалисти́чен (realistíčen)expressed or represented as being accurate
  • реалистичен (realističen)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Catalan realista, realista
  • realistaexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistarelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Chinese Mandarin 現實 /现实, 栩栩如生
  • 現實 /现实 (xiánshí)expressed or represented as being accurate
  • 栩栩如生 (xǔxǔrúshēng)expressed or represented as being accurate
  • 現實 /现实 (xiánshí)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Czech realistický, realistický
  • realistickýexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistickýrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Danish realistisk, realistisk
  • realistiskexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistiskrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Dutch realistisch
  • realistischexpressed or represented as being accurate
Esperanto vivovera
  • vivoverarelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Finnish realistinen, todenmukainen
  • realistinenexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • todenmukainenexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistinenrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
French réaliste, réaliste
  • réalisteexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • réalisterelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
German realistisch, realistisch
  • realistischexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistischrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hebrew רֵיאָלִיסְטִי
  • רֵיאָלִיסְטִיrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hindi वास्तविक, व्यवहारिक
  • वास्तविक (vāstavik)expressed or represented as being accurate
  • व्यवहारिक (vyavhārik)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
  • वास्तविक (vāstavik)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Hungarian realista, realisztikus
  • realistaexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realisztikusrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
  • realistarelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Irish réadúil, réalaíoch
  • réadúilexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • réalaíochrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Italian realistico
  • realisticoexpressed or represented as being accurate
Japanese 現実的
  • 現実的 (genjitsuteki)expressed or represented as being accurate
Korean 현실적
  • 현실적 (hyeonsiljeok)expressed or represented as being accurate
Latin reālisticus, vērīsimilis
  • reālisticusexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • vērīsimilisrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Polish realistyczny
  • realistycznyexpressed or represented as being accurate
Portuguese realístico, realístico
  • realísticoexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realísticorelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Romanian realist, realist
  • realistexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Russian реалисти́чный, реалисти́чный
  • реалисти́чный (realistíčnyj)expressed or represented as being accurate
  • реалисти́чный (realistíčnyj)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
  • реалисти́ческий (realistíčeskij)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Slovak realistický
  • realistickýexpressed or represented as being accurate
Spanish realista, realístico
  • realistaexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realísticoexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • realistarelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
  • realísticorelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Swedish realistisk
  • realistiskrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Tagalog makatotohanan
  • makatotohananexpressed or represented as being accurate
Thai สมจริง, สมจริง
  • สมจริงexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • สมจริงrelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Turkish gerçekçi, gerçekçi
  • gerçekçiexpressed or represented as being accurate
  • gerçekçirelating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were
Ukrainian реалісти́чний
  • реалісти́чний (realistýčnyj)expressed or represented as being accurate
Yiddish רעאַליסטיש, רעאַליסטיש
  • רעאַליסטיש (realistish)expressed or represented as being accurate
  • רעאַליסטיש (realistish)relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with realistic

characteristicholisticlinguisticmysticoptimisticballisticcysticfuturisticheuristicjournalisticpessimisticaltruisticatavisticsurrealisticmisticcannibalisticjingoistichubristicactivisticallisticArabisticAramaisticcriminalisticeconomistic
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

realistic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/realistic

MLA

“realistic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/realistic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “realistic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/realistic.

Source: realistic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.