mugged by reality
Of a person, having experienced a sudden, harsh, confrontation with the truth or reality of a situation.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He was mugged by reality when he saw his bank balance.”
“After months of planning his dream business, he was mugged by reality when the first month of sales failed to cover his rent.”
“The idealistic young politician was quickly mugged by reality upon discovering that the legislative process was far more cynical and slow than he had ever imagined.”
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bite of the reality sandwich
A wake-up call, a reality check.
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break reality
To reach or experience a nonordinary state of consciousness, especially when using psychedelics.
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mug's game
A foolish, profitless, or hopeless undertaking.
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reality check
A wake-up call; a reminder.
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reality distortion field
The persuasive ability of a leader or entrepreneur, especially in misleading or convincing others in order to promote a product or service.
Last updated August 10, 2026