What does "real" mean?
A commodity; see realty.
Real
/ɹil/ adj, adv, name, noun, slang
adj, adv, name, noun, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A commodity; see realty.
- Grammar: real is listed as adj, adv, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: actual, genuine, tangible, actual.
- Useful contrasts: artificial, counterfeit, fake.
- Usage evidence: I'm not a real fish, I'm just a mere plushy.
How to use "real"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "real" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "real" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "real" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "real" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "real" is acting as adj, adv, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "actual" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "real", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A commodity; see realty.
- 2 Former unit of currency of Spain and Spain's colonies.
- 3 A unit of currency used in Portugal and its colonies from 1430 until 1911, and in Brazil from 1790 until 1942. uncountable
- 4 A unit of currency used in Brazil since 1994. Symbol: R$. uncountable
"Within weeks of this bombshell, an aide to the brother of the chairman of the PT, José Genoino, was arrested boarding a flight with 200,000 reais in a suitcase and $100,000 in his underpants."
- 5 an old small silver Spanish coin wordnet
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 One of the three genders that the common gender can be separated into in the Scandinavian languages.
- 7 A coin worth one real.
- 8 A coin worth one real. countable
- 9 A coin worth one real. countable
- 10 the basic unit of money in Brazil; equal to 100 centavos wordnet
- 11 A real number.
"There have been several classical constructions of the reals that avoid these problems, the most famous ones being Dedekind Cuts and Cauchy Sequences, named respectively for the mathematicians Richard Dedekind (1831 - 1916) and Augustine Cauchy (1789 - 1857). We will not discuss these constructions here, but will use a more modern one developed by Gabriel Stolzenberg, based on "interval arithmetic.""
- 12 any rational or irrational number wordnet
- 13 A realist. obsolete
"Scotists, Thomists, Reals, Nominals"
Adjective
- 1 True, genuine, not merely nominal or apparent.
"City hall has its place, but this pub is the real heart of the town."
- 2 Genuine, not artificial, counterfeit, or fake.
"This is real leather."
- 3 Genuine, unfeigned, sincere.
"These are real tears!"
- 4 Actually being, existing, or occurring; not fictitious or imaginary.
"a description of real life"
- 5 That has objective, physical existence.
"No one has ever seen a real unicorn."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 Having been adjusted to remove the effects of inflation; measured in purchasing power (contrast nominal).
"My dad calculated my family's real consumption per month."
- 7 Relating to the result of the actions of rational agents; relating to neoclassical economic models as opposed to Keynesian models.
- 8 Being either a rational number, or the limit of a convergent infinite sequence of rational numbers: being one of a set of numbers with a one-to-one correspondence to the points on a line.
- 9 Relating to immovable tangible property.
"real estate; real property"
- 10 Absolute, complete, utter.
"This is a real problem."
- 11 Signifying meritorious qualities or actions, especially with regard to genuineness, groundedness, and true success rather than poser imitations of success. slang
"I'm keeping it real."
- 12 Signifying meritorious qualities or actions, especially with regard to genuineness, groundedness, and true success rather than poser imitations of success.; Firm through directness, readiness to confront. slang
"yo, Imma be real with u... don't ever text me again"
Adjective
- 1 capable of being treated as fact wordnet
- 2 having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary wordnet
- 3 being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory wordnet
- 4 no less than what is stated; worthy of the name wordnet
- 5 of, relating to, or representing an amount that is corrected for inflation wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 coinciding with reality wordnet
- 7 not to be taken lightly wordnet
- 8 (of property) fixed or immovable wordnet
- 9 being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Really; very. US, colloquial, not-comparable
"When I told him the truth, he got real mad."
Adverb
- 1 used to give emphasis wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 Real Madrid, a football club from Madrid.
- 2 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"I'm not a real fish, I'm just a mere plushy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "real"?
Common synonyms include: actual, genuine, tangible, actual, true, absolute.
How do you use "real" in a sentence?
I'm not a real fish, I'm just a mere plushy.
How do you pronounce "real"?
Pronounced /ɹil/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English real, from Old French reel, from Late Latin reālis (“actual”), from Latin rēs (“matter, thing”), from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁ís (“wealth, goods”). Doublet of realis.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Spanish real (“royal”), from Latin rēgālis (“regal, royal”). Doublet of ariary, regal, riyal, and royal.
Etymology 3
From Portuguese real (“royal”), from Latin rēgālis (“regal; royal”). Doublet of ariary, regal, riyal, and royal.