1
as in case
something that actually exists
the ambition to make his dreams a reality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in existence
the fact of being or of being real
no one denies the reality of electricity, though few people understand it fully
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fact
the quality of being actual
the reality of the situation finally dawned on her and she sat down in stunned silence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in object
one that has a real and independent existence
you'll need to cope with a whole new set of realities once you've become a parent
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 reality
But in reality, all six siblings were on the tour.
—
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026
Great as the victory was, the reality remains that the Red Sox still have a tall hill to climb.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
That couldn’t be further from reality, though, since Padilla has now logged more screen time than any other cast member — featured or repertory — this season.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
Translated to the realities of Los Angeles (navigated a few years back when Jenn Harris, Stephanie Breijo and I compiled a guide to the city’s best diners), that might mean a short drive.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reality
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026
Great as the victory was, the reality remains that the Red Sox still have a tall hill to climb.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
That couldn’t be further from reality, though, since Padilla has now logged more screen time than any other cast member — featured or repertory — this season.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
Translated to the realities of Los Angeles (navigated a few years back when Jenn Harris, Stephanie Breijo and I compiled a guide to the city’s best diners), that might mean a short drive.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reality
Noun
-
Their immediate challenge is that the ruling came down well after filing deadlines for this year’s primary elections — and in some cases, after those primary elections have been held.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Reached by email earlier this week, Jennifer Spradley, an attorney in the public defender’s office in Tampa, said the office wouldn’t comment on Abugharbieh’s case.—
Mike Schneider,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fin-to-limb is less discussed, yet more central to our collective existence.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Steyer had planned to spend $100 million, and his wealth proved a liability in a race where rivals including Sanders decried the existence of billionaires.—
Sophie Austin,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The simple concept of three women sharing a unified bill on the road, in fact, was something they were deprived of for most of their careers within the indie-rock scene.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, so many diners made that selection that the entire room carried the aroma of fish at one point.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Participants learned the locations of fifty objects; each was associated with a distinct noise.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
There could be as many as ~1017 icy, round objects in hydrostatic equilibrium in the Milky Way galaxy alone, most of which are likely not bound to a parent star at all.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Max is one of the great composers of our time, and his work has a depth and emotional truth that has the potential to break our hearts.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But a closer inspection reveals a more unsettled, human process of establishing truth.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The case centers on Musk’s claim that OpenAI, Altman and Microsoft betrayed OpenAI's original mission as a nonprofit to benefit humanity by forming a for-profit entity in March 2019, 13 months after Musk left the OpenAI board.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Musk alleges he was duped when Altman transformed OpenAI from a nonprofit entity into a for-profit juggernaut.—
John Ruwitch,
NPR,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The list of substances Peters and his cohort ingest, inject, and smear on themselves is long and evergrowing, despite the very real risks that come along with them.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Jackson, the youngest son, was found in a bathroom where deputies allegedly saw a black substance in the toilet.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Game 5 showed two things at once.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Rubbing the compost against the screen with a gloved hand will help things along.—
Jessica Damiano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reality. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
