Real-ly

//ˈɹil.li// adv

adv ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adverb
  1. 1
    Alternative form of really (“in a way or manner that is real, not unreal”). alt-of, alternative, nonstandard

    "If it did, there would be no distinction between real and unreal, between what is 'real-ly' presented and 'merely imagined,' between the self and the world, and there would be no such thing as thought."

Example

More examples

"If it did, there would be no distinction between real and unreal, between what is 'real-ly' presented and 'merely imagined,' between the self and the world, and there would be no such thing as thought."

Etymology

The suffix is hyphenated to better distinguish the literal-meaning adverb from the intensifier really.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.