REALISTIC

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does realistic mean? 

• REALISTIC (adjective)
  The adjective REALISTIC has 3 senses:

1. aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are

2. representing what is real; not abstract or ideal

3. of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of realism

  Familiarity information: REALISTIC used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REALISTIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are

Context example:

the actors tried to create a realistic portrayal of the Africans

Similar:

down-to-earth; earthy (sensible and practical)

hard-nosed; hardheaded; practical; pragmatic (guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory)

graphic; lifelike; pictorial; vivid (evoking lifelike images within the mind)

living (true to life; lifelike)

true-to-life; true to life (representing things or actions or conditions as they actually are)

real; veridical (coinciding with reality)

practical; virtual (being actually such in almost every respect)

Also:

possible (capable of happening or existing)

practical (concerned with actual use or practice)

existent; real (being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory)

Antonym:

unrealistic (not realistic)

Derivation:

realist (a person who accepts the world as it literally is and deals with it accordingly)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Representing what is real; not abstract or ideal

Synonyms:

naturalistic; realistic

Context example:

the school of naturalistic writers

Similar:

representational ((used especially of art) depicting objects, figures,or scenes as seen)

Derivation:

realist (a painter who represents the world realistically and not in an idealized or romantic style)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of realism

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

a realistic system of thought

Pertainym:

realism ((philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical objects continue to exist when not perceived)

Derivation:

realist (a philosopher who believes that universals are real and exist independently of anyone thinking of them)

 Context examples 

Saturn and Pluto will directly and sharply oppose the full moon on January 10 and force you to be realistic.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Using the FIRE (Feedback In Realistic Environments) simulation system, the team was able to build realistic 3D models of galaxies stretching from just after the Big Bang right up to the present day.

(Half Our Body's Atoms Could Have Come from Outside The Galaxy, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Organic semiconductors have not been realistic candidates for spintronics so far because it was impossible to move spins around a polymer circuit far enough without losing the original information.

(Certain organic semiconducting materials can transport spin faster than they conduct charge, University of Cambridge)

"With this improvement, we will be able to make our models more realistic and better able to predict this aspect of climate change's impact on our oceans."

(Study reveals new patterns of key ocean nutrient, National Science Foundation)

“A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a realistic effect,” remarked Holmes.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Already-queued orders won't leave idle capacity for some years, Maróth said, and paying back this loan seems realistic.

(Hungarian state-owned enterprise acquires Hirtenberger Defence Group, Wikinews)

Because the full moon is in earth-sign Taurus, it will urge you to be practical and realistic about your current situation.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

You are a realistic soul, and you don’t spend time worrying about things you cannot change, so you focused only on the situations that you could improve, fix, or advance.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Having these planets in Capricorn will remind you to be realistic when negotiating a new position or a raise in your present position.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Jupiter will keep you optimistic about your future outlook, and Saturn will keep you grounded and realistic—a winning combination.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)