Real — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb noun /ˈrē(-ə)l/ (adjective) /rā-ˈäl/ (noun) re·al

Meaning & Definition of Real

Real (adjective)

  1. having objective independent existence
  2. not artificial, fraudulent, or illusory, genuine; also, being precisely what the name implies
  3. occurring or existing in actuality

Real (adverb)

  1. very, really —used as an intensifier

Real (noun)

  1. a real thing; especially, a mathematically real quantity
  2. the basic monetary unit of Brazil
  3. a former monetary unit and coin of Portugal
  4. a former monetary unit and coin of Spain and its possessions

Real (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being exactly as appears or as claimed

    "this shirt is real silk, not polyester"

    similar: authentic, bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum (Australian & New Zealand), echt, genuine, honest, pukka, right, sure-enough, true, for real
    related: actual, historical, original, lawful, legal, legitimate, identifiable, recognizable, verifiable, proven, substantiated, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, undeniable, undoubted, unmistakable, unquestionable, veritable, very, accurate, correct, proper, pure, unadulterated, unalloyed
    opposite: bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal
    near: artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic, unnatural, concocted, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive, delusive, delusory, misleading

  2. existing in fact and not merely as a possibility

    "asked her parents if the Tooth Fairy was real"

    similar: actual, concrete, de facto, effective, existent, factual, genuine, sure-enough, true, very
    related: attested, authenticated, confirmed, demonstrated, established, proven, substantiated, valid, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, inescapable, irrefutable, undeniable, unquestionable, believable, convincing, literal, realistic, unmistakable, verifiable, authentic, bona fide, real-life, real-world, absolute, certain, final, hard, objective, palpable, positive, substantial, tangible, authoritative, certifiable, certified
    opposite: conjectural, hypothetical, ideal, inexistent, nonexistent, platonic, possible, potential, suppositional, theoretical
    near: alleged, assumed, reputed, supposed, conceived, envisaged, envisioned, imagined, pictured, visualized, chimerical, fabled, fanciful, fictional, fictitious, illusory, legendary, fabricated, fake, imaginary, invented, made-up, make-believe, pretend, romantic, abstract, symbolic, unreal, virtual

  3. free from any intent to deceive or impress others

    "real folk who don't put on airs"

    similar: artless, genuine, guileless, honest, ingenuous, innocent, naive, natural, simple, sincere, true, unaffected, unpretending, unpretentious, on the level
    related: childlike, dewy-eyed, gee-whiz, impressionable, inexperienced, malleable, persuadable, persuasible, simpleminded, unsophisticated, unworldly, wide-eyed, spontaneous, unforced, unstudied, candid, direct, frank, free, free-spoken, open, openhearted, plain, plainspoken, single-minded, straight, straightforward, unguarded, trustful, trusting, exploitable, gullible, susceptible, unwary
    opposite: affected, artful, artificial, assuming, dishonest, dissembling, dissimulating, fake, false, guileful, insincere, phony, pretentious
    near: critical, cynical, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, wary, cosmopolitan, sophisticated, worldly, worldly-wise, civilized, cultivated, cultured, polished, refined, crooked, deceitful, deceptive, devious, double-dealing, hypocritical, manipulative, two-faced, arch, calculating, canny, crafty, cunning, designing, foxy, knavish, scheming, sharp, shifty, shrewd, slick, slippery, sly, subtle, tricky, underhanded, wily, flattering, mealymouthed, smooth, sycophantic, unctuous, feigned, forced, strained

Real (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to a great degree

    "this fish tastes real good"

    similar: achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly, extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous (chiefly dialect), mortally, most, much, particularly, passing, rattling, really, right, roaring, roaringly, seriously, severely, so, sore, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, very, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly, a lot, as all get-out, good and
    related: absolutely, altogether, completely, downright, entirely, flat-out, fully, positively, purely, radically, thoroughly, totally, utterly, wholly, deeply, profoundly, exceptionally, notably, remarkably, considerably, extensively, significantly, substantially, appreciably, discernibly, markedly, noticeably, obviously, palpably, plainly, visibly, abundantly, plentifully, astronomically, grandly, monstrously, monumentally, excessively, obscenely, overmuch, amazingly, astonishingly, staggeringly
    opposite: little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
    near: meagerly, scantily, barely, hardly, just, marginally, minimally, scarcely

Related Entry: Real estate (noun)

Real estate is a different word from Real. The synonyms below are for real estate, not for real.

  1. the largest number or amount that something can hold

    "the enormous difference in real estate between a high-definition disk and one in standard definition"

    similar: capacity, complement, cubage, volume
    related: burden, fill, fullness, load, measure, area, room, space, stowage

Related Entry: Real-life (adjective)

Real-life is a different word from Real. The synonyms below are for real-life, not for real.

  1. happening in the real world rather than in a story

    "real-life problems"

    "a real-life drama"

    similar: authentic, bona fide, real-world, actual, concrete, de facto, effective, existent, factual, genuine, real, sure-enough, true, very, attested, authenticated, confirmed, demonstrated, established, proven, substantiated, valid, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, inescapable, irrefutable, undeniable, unquestionable, believable, convincing, literal, realistic, unmistakable, verifiable, absolute, certain, final, hard, objective, palpable, positive, substantial, tangible, authoritative, certifiable, certified
    opposite: alleged, assumed, reputed, supposed, conceived, envisaged, envisioned, imagined, pictured, visualized, chimerical, fabled, fanciful, fictional, fictitious, illusory, legendary, fabricated, fake, imaginary, invented, made-up, make-believe, pretend, romantic, abstract, symbolic, unreal, virtual, conjectural, hypothetical, ideal, inexistent, nonexistent, platonic, possible, potential, suppositional, theoretical

Related Entry: Real-world (adjective)

Real-world is a different word from Real. The synonyms below are for real-world, not for real.

  1. as in real-life, authentic

    similar: authentic, bona fide, real-life, actual, concrete, de facto, effective, existent, factual, genuine, real, sure-enough, true, very, attested, authenticated, confirmed, demonstrated, established, proven, substantiated, valid, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, inescapable, irrefutable, undeniable, unquestionable, believable, convincing, literal, realistic, unmistakable, verifiable, absolute, certain, final, hard, objective, palpable, positive, substantial, tangible, authoritative, certifiable, certified
    opposite: alleged, assumed, reputed, supposed, conceived, envisaged, envisioned, imagined, pictured, visualized, chimerical, fabled, fanciful, fictional, fictitious, illusory, legendary, fabricated, fake, imaginary, invented, made-up, make-believe, pretend, romantic, abstract, symbolic, unreal, virtual, conjectural, hypothetical, ideal, inexistent, nonexistent, platonic, possible, potential, suppositional, theoretical

Related Entry: Real estates (noun)

Real estates is a different word from Real. The synonyms below are for real estates, not for real.

  1. the largest number or amount that something can hold

    "the enormous difference in real estate between a high-definition disk and one in standard definition"

    similar: capacities, complements, cubages, volumes
    related: burdens, fills, loads, measures, areas, room, spaces, stowages

Related Entry: For real (phrase)

For real is a different word from Real. The synonyms below are for for real, not for real.

  1. being exactly as appears or as claimed

    "The rumors are for real: the happy couple is expecting a baby in June."

    similar: authentic, bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum (Australian & New Zealand), echt, genuine, honest, pukka, real, right, sure-enough, true
    related: actual, historical, original, lawful, legal, legitimate, identifiable, recognizable, verifiable, proven, substantiated, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, undeniable, undoubted, unmistakable, unquestionable, veritable, very, accurate, correct, proper, pure, unadulterated, unalloyed
    opposite: bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal
    near: artificial, factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic, unnatural, concocted, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive, delusive, delusory, misleading

Related Entry: Get (verb)

Get is a different word from Real. The synonyms below are for get, not for real.

  1. to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in

    "I'm not sure I ever got the new math"

    similar: learn, master, pick up, get the hang of
    related: apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, understand, absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in), imbibe, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig up, discern, discover, examine, find out, hear, hit (on or upon), run down, scare up, search (for), see, track (down), tumble (to), unearth, major (in), study, memorize
    opposite: unlearn
    near: forget, misunderstand, miss, overlook, disregard, ignore, neglect

  2. to become affected with (a disease or disorder)

    "don't cough on me—I don't want to get your cold"

    similar: catch, come down (with), contract, go down (with) (chiefly British), sicken (with), take
    related: break out (with), die (from), succumb (to), fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen
    near: come back, gain, heal, mend, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back, rally, rebound, recover (from), shake (off)

  3. to become the father of

    "Abraham was quite old when he got Isaac, his only son"

    similar: beget, father, sire
    related: multiply, procreate, propagate, reproduce, spawn, bear, engender, gender, generate, produce

  4. to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest requests

    "tried to get the mayor to let us stage the concert in the town square, but she refused"

    similar: argue, bring, bring around, convert, convince, gain, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)
    related: blandish, blarney, cajole, coax, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, urge, wheedle, allure, beguile, lead on, lure, seduce, snow, tempt, brainwash, overpersuade, incline, influence, prompt, sell, sway, attract, draw, entice, interest, chew over, converse, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over), moot, reason (with)
    near: deter, discourage, dissuade, unsell

  5. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "redid the math problem until I got the right answer"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, hit (on or upon), hunt (down or up), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), rummage, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

  6. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "continuously clearing your throat like that is starting to get to me"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

  7. to eventually have as a state or quality

    "it's going to get colder as winter approaches"

    similar: become, come, go, grow, run, turn, wax
    related: alter, change, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transform, transmute
    near: abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay

  8. to receive as return for effort

    "got an A on his final paper"

    similar: acquire, attain, bag, bring in, capture, carry, come by, draw, earn, gain, garner, knock down, land, make, obtain, procure, pull down, realize, reap, secure, win
    related: clear, gross, net, accomplish, achieve, notch (up), score, accumulate, amass, rack up, catch, pick up, annex, occupy, take over, reacquire, reattain, recapture, regain, remake
    opposite: forfeit, lose
    near: accord, give, grant, pay, give up, hand over, part (with), relinquish, surrender, yield

  9. to have a clear idea of

    "she was speaking so fast—did you get what she said?"

    similar: appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, comprehend, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand, pick up on
    related: absorb, digest, take in, realize, fathom, penetrate, pierce
    opposite: miss
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

  10. to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

    "the defense tackled the running back and got the ball"

    similar: bag, capture, catch, collar, cop (slang), corral, glom, grab, grapple, hook, land, nab, nail, net, nobble (British slang), rap, seize, snag, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, take hold (of)
    related: glove, halter, lasso, rope, apprehend, arrest, detain, bay, corner, clasp, clutch, fasten (on), fist, grasp, grip, hold, latch (on or onto), secure, rend, wrest, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, mesh, abduct, kidnap, spirit (away or off)
    opposite: miss
    near: discharge, free, liberate, release, drop, loosen, unhand

  11. to leave a place often for another

    "will get away to the Bahamas for a vacation"

    similar: bail, bail out, begone, book (slang), bug off, bug out, bugger off (British slang), buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get off, go, go off, move, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper (British), shove (off), step (along), take off, vamoose, walk out, beat it, hit the road, pull stakes, take a hike, take a powder
    related: set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle (chiefly British), run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: arrive, come, show up, turn up
    near: abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

  12. to achieve a victory over

    "you may have won this game, but I'll get you next time"

    similar: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, get the better of, knock for a loop
    related: sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to)
    near: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

  13. to transmit information or requests to

    "I've been trying all day, but I can't get either of them in order to ask the question"

    similar: address, communicate (with), contact, reach, get hold of, get in touch with, touch base (with)
    related: get through (to), acquaint, advise, apprise, brief, clue, enlighten, familiarize, fill in, inform, instruct, notify, tell, wise (up), buzz, call, phone, ring (up) (chiefly British), telephone, keep up (with)

  14. to put to death deliberately

    "I'll get you if you talk to the cops, the loan shark warned"

    similar: assassinate, bump off, croak (slang), dispatch, do in, execute, ice (slang), knock off, liquidate, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, slay, snuff, take out, terminate, whack (slang), do away with
    related: blow away, shoot, shoot down, blot out, carry off, claim, cut down, destroy, fell, kill, smite, zap, butcher, massacre, mow (down), slaughter, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, exterminate, wipe out
    near: animate, raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive

  15. to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

    "what gets me is why she would do such a weird thing"

    similar: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, confuse, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex, blow one's mind, go to one's head
    related: stick, stump, weird out, abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle, agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset, beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick
    near: assure, reassure, satisfy, enlighten, inform

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Real

The most common words with a similar meaning to Real:

Australian & New Zealand: dinkum
Chiefly dialect: monstrous
authentic, bona fide, certifiable, certified, echt, genuine, honest, pukka, right, sure-enough, true, actual, concrete, de facto, effective, existent, factual, very, artless, guileless, ingenuous, innocent, naive, natural, simple, sincere, unaffected, unpretending, unpretentious, for real, on the level, achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Real

Words with the opposite meaning of Real:

bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo, sham, spurious, suppositious, supposititious, unauthentic, unreal, conjectural, hypothetical, ideal, inexistent, nonexistent, platonic, possible, potential, suppositional, theoretical, affected, artful, artificial, assuming, dishonest, dissembling, dissimulating

Related Words for Real

historical, original, lawful, legal, legitimate, identifiable, recognizable, verifiable, proven, substantiated, validated, verified, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, undeniable, undoubted, unmistakable, unquestionable, veritable, accurate, correct, proper, pure, unadulterated, unalloyed, attested, authenticated

Near Antonyms of Real

factitious, imitation, man-made, simulated, synthetic, unnatural, concocted, fabricated, manufactured, deceptive, delusive, delusory, misleading, alleged, assumed, reputed, supposed, conceived, envisaged, envisioned, imagined, pictured, visualized, chimerical, fabled, fanciful, fictional, fictitious, illusory, legendary

Word Forms of Real

Inflections: reales, reals

Derived words: realness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Real

Middle English, real, relating to things (in law), from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin & Late Latin; Medieval Latin realis relating to things (in law), from Late Latin, real, from Latin res thing, fact; akin to Sanskrit rayi property

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Real

Words & Phrases Containing Real

real estate, real focus

Frequently Asked Questions about Real

What does "Real" mean?

"Real" means having objective independent existence. As an an adjective, an adverb and a noun, it is defined as: having objective independent existence. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Real"?

Other words for "Real" include authentic, bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum, echt, genuine and honest. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Real" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Real"?

There are 239 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Real". Common alternatives include authentic, bona fide, certifiable, certified, dinkum, echt, genuine, honest, pukka and right.

What is the opposite of "Real"?

Antonyms of "Real" include bogus, counterfeit, fake, false, mock, phony, pseudo and sham. Near antonyms include factitious, imitation, man-made and simulated.

How do you use "Real" in a sentence?

Examples of "Real" in a sentence: "this shirt is real silk, not polyester"; "asked her parents if the Tooth Fairy was real"; "real folk who don't put on airs".

Is "Real" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Real" can be used as an adjective, an adverb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Real" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Real" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Real"?

"Real" is pronounced /ˈrē(-ə)l/ as an adjective and /rā-ˈäl/ as a noun and divided into syllables as re·al.