realistic
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
accepting things as they are and not making plans that are impossible to achieve.
having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected.
Simple“We need to be realistic about how much work we can finish today.”
In context“The board urged the department heads to set realistic targets for the next quarter, rather than relying on overly optimistic growth projections.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'about'.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
showing things exactly as they look in real life, especially in art, films, or games.
representing objects, actions, or social conditions as they actually are without idealisation.
Simple“The video game has very realistic graphics that make the forest look real.”
In context“The novelist was praised for her realistic portrayal of working-class life in the industrial north during the late nineteenth century.”
SynonymsAntonymsabstractstylised
Usage realistic chance · appreciation realistic
“Avery also advises new students to be realistic about their timetable and how much they can take on.”
“It’s emancipatory, in that it encourages women to know and take control of their bodies, but it’s also realistic about the reality of living in those bodies.”
From realist + -ic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.