Real vs. Realistic — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 4, 2023
Real refers to something that actually exists or happens, whereas realistic pertains to something that seems true to life or plausible.
Difference Between Real and Realistic
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The term 'real' is used to describe something that is actual and exists in fact, not merely potentially or supposedly. In contrast, 'realistic' describes something that is close to reality, but not necessarily real; it's about the appearance or semblance of being real.
'Real' is a definitive term that leaves no room for interpretation; if something is real, it is tangible, factual, and indisputable. 'Realistic,' however, indicates a degree of subjectivity, suggesting that something is believable or possible in the real world, though it may not be actual.
When we say something is real, we are stating that it has a physical presence or is a concrete fact of reality. Meanwhile, calling something realistic means it could exist or happen in the real world, though it is not currently a fact; it has the attributes of reality.
For instance, a documentary film is real in that it presents actual events or facts, while a realistic novel, though fiction, portrays characters or events in a way that mimics real life. 'Real' concerns the essence of being, while 'realistic' concerns the convincing nature of an imitation or hypothesis.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Existing in fact; actual.
Feasible or likely; believable.
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Nature
Tangible, concrete.
Plausible, possible.
Usage
To confirm authenticity.
To express likelihood or believability.
Objective/Subjective
Objective reality.
Subjective perception of reality.
Example
A real diamond.
A realistic portrayal of a diamond.
Compare with Definitions
Real
Genuine
Truly what something is said to be. Her joy was real.
Realistic
Likelihood
Seeming realistic or believable. Her plan was realistic.
Real
Truthful
Accurate and factual. The story she told was real.
Realistic
Life-like
Resembling real life. The details in the painting were incredibly realistic.
Real
Actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact; not imagined or supposed
Julius Caesar was a real person
Her many illnesses, real and imaginary
Realistic
Naturalistic
Imitating nature or the real world. The game's graphics were stunningly realistic.
Real
(of a thing) not imitation or artificial; genuine
The earring was presumably real gold
Realistic
Practical
Feasible and sensible. His goals were realistic and attainable.
Real
Complete; utter (used for emphasis)
The tour turned out to be a real disaster
Realistic
Plausible
Seeming reasonable or probable. The movie presented a realistic scenario.
Real
Adjusted for changes in the value of money; assessed by purchasing power
Real incomes had fallen by 30 per cent
An increase in real terms of 11.6 per cent
Realistic
Having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected
I thought we had a realistic chance of winning
Real
(of a number or quantity) having no imaginary part.
Realistic
Representing things in a way that is accurate and true to life
A realistic human drama
Real
(of an image) of a kind in which the light that forms it actually passes through it; not virtual.
Realistic
Tending to or expressing an awareness of things as they really are
She gave us a realistic appraisal of our chances.
Real
Really; very
My head hurts real bad
Realistic
Of or relating to the representation of objects, actions, or social conditions as they actually are
A realistic novel about coal mining.
Real
The basic monetary unit of Brazil since 1994, equal to 100 centavos.
Realistic
Expressed or represented as being accurate, practicable, or not idealistic.
A realistic appraisal of the situation.
Real
Being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verifiable existence
Real objects.
A real illness.
Realistic
Relating to the representation of objects, actions or conditions as they actually are or were.
A realistic novel about the Victorian poor.
Real
True and actual; not imaginary, alleged, or ideal
Real people, not ghosts.
A film based on real life.
Realistic
Of or pertaining to the realists; in the manner of the realists; characterized by realism rather than by imagination.
Real
Of or founded on practical matters and concerns
A recent graduate experiencing the real world for the first time.
Realistic
Aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are;
A realistic description
A realistic view of the possibilities
A realistic appraisal of our chances
The actors tried to create a realistic portrayal of the Africans
Real
Genuine and authentic; not artificial or spurious
Real mink.
Real humility.
Realistic
Representing what is real; not abstract or ideal;
Realistic portraiture
A realistic novel
In naturalistic colors
The school of naturalistic writers
Real
Being no less than what is stated; worthy of the name
A real friend.
Realistic
Of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of realism;
A realistic system of thought
Real
Free of pretense, falsehood, or affectation
Tourists hoping for a real experience on the guided tour.
Real
Not to be taken lightly; serious
In real trouble.
Real
(Philosophy) Existing objectively in the world regardless of subjectivity or conventions of thought or language.
Real
Relating to, being, or having value reckoned by actual purchasing power
Real income.
Real growth.
Real
(Physics) Of, relating to, or being an image formed by light rays that converge in space.
Real
(Mathematics) Of, relating to, or being a real number.
Real
(Law) Of or relating to stationary or fixed property, such as buildings or land.
Real
Very
I'm real sorry about that.
Real
A thing or whole having actual existence. Often used with the
Theories beyond the realm of the real.
Real
(Mathematics) A real number.
Real
A silver coin formerly used in Spain and Latin America.
Real
A unit of currency formerly used in Portugal.
Real
See Table at currency.
Real
True, genuine, not merely nominal or apparent.
Real
Genuine, not artificial, counterfeit, or fake.
This is real leather.
Real
Genuine, unfeigned, sincere.
These are real tears!
Real
Actually being, existing, or occurring; not fictitious or imaginary.
A description of real life
Real
That has objective, physical existence.
No one has ever seen a real unicorn.
Real
(economics) 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.
What is the real GNP of this polity?
Real
(economics) Relating to the result of the actions of rational agents; relating to neoclassical economic models as opposed to Keynesian models.
Real
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.
Real
(legal) Relating to immovable tangible property.
Real estate;
Real property
Real
Absolute, complete, utter.
This is a real problem.
Real
(slang) Signifying meritorious qualities or actions especially as regard the enjoyment of life, prowess at sports, or success wooing potential partners.
I'm keeping it real.
Real
Really, very.
When I told him the truth, he got real mad.
Real
A commodity; see realty.
Real
(grammar) One of the three genders that the common gender can be separated into in the Scandinavian languages.
Real
(mathematics) A real number.
Real
(obsolete) A realist.
Real
Former unit of currency of Spain and Spain's colonies.
Real
A coin worth one real.
Real
A unit of currency used in Portugal and its colonies from 1430 until 1911, and in Brazil from 1790 until 1942.
Real
A coin worth one real.
Real
A unit of currency used in Brazil since 1994. Symbol: R$.
Real
A coin worth one real.
Real
A former small Spanish silver coin; also, a denomination of money of account, formerly the unit of the Spanish monetary system.
Real
A realist.
Real
Royal; regal; kingly.
Real
Actually being or existing; not fictitious or imaginary; as, a description of real life.
Whereat I waked, and foundBefore mine eyes all real, as the dreamHad lively shadowed.
Real
True; genuine; not artificial, counterfeit, or factitious; often opposed to ostensible; as, the real reason; real Madeira wine; real ginger.
Whose perfection far excelledHers in all real dignity.
Real
Relating to things, not to persons.
Many are perfect in men's humors that are not greatly capable of the real part of business.
Real
Having an assignable arithmetical or numerical value or meaning; not imaginary.
Real
Pertaining to things fixed, permanent, or immovable, as to lands and tenements; as, real property, in distinction from personal or movable property.
For he that but conceives a crime in thought,Contracts the danger of an actual fault.
Our simple ideas are all real; all agree to the reality of things.
Real
Any rational or irrational number
Real
An old small silver Spanish coin
Real
Being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory;
Real objects
Real people; not ghosts
A film based on real life
A real illness
Real humility
Life is real! Life is earnest!
Real
No less than what is stated; worthy of the name;
The real reason
Real war
A real friend
A real woman
Meat and potatoes--I call that a real meal
It's time he had a real job
It's no penny-ante job--he's making real money
Real
Being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something;
Her actual motive
A literal solitude like a desert
A genuine dilemma
Real
Not synthetic or spurious; of real or natural origin;
Real mink
True gold
Real
Not to be taken lightly;
Statistics demonstrate that poverty and unemployment are very real problems
To the man sleeping regularly in doorways homelessness is real
Real
Possible to be treated as fact;
Tangible evidence
His brief time as Prime Minister brought few real benefits to the poor
Real
Being value measured in terms of purchasing power;
Real prices
Real income
Real wages
Real
Having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary;
The substantial world
A mere dream, neither substantial nor practical
Most ponderous and substantial things
Real
(of property) fixed or immovable;
Real property consists of land and buildings; real estate
Real
Coinciding with reality;
Perceptual error...has a surprising resemblance to veridical perception
Real
Founded on practical matters;
A recent graduate experiencing the real world for the first time
Real
Used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally for `really'; `rattling' is informal;
She was very gifted
He played very well
A really enjoyable evening
I'm real sorry about it
A rattling good yarn
Real
Actual Existence
Existing in fact. The fear was real.
Real
Authentic
Not imitation or artificial. The vase was real China.
Real
Physical Presence
Tangible and concrete. He was surprised by the real weight of the gold bar.
Common Curiosities
What does real mean?
Real means something that actually exists or has occurred.
Is 'realistic' the same as truthful?
Not exactly; realistic refers to plausibility, while truthful is about accuracy.
Can a story be both real and realistic?
Yes, a story can be based on real events and told in a realistic manner.
Can an object be real but not realistic?
Yes, if it exists but doesn't seem believable, like a surreal painting.
What does realistic mean?
Realistic means something that is believable or likely to happen, even if it's not real.
Does 'realistic' mean the same as 'real'?
No, realistic describes something that could be real or is similar to reality, but isn't necessarily real.
Can a person be too realistic?
Yes, if someone only focuses on what is likely and ignores possibilities, they could be considered too realistic.
Can fiction be realistic?
Yes, fiction can be realistic when it imitates life in a believable way.
What makes a goal realistic?
A goal is realistic if it is achievable and practical.
Is virtual reality real or realistic?
Virtual reality isn't real, but it's designed to be realistic.
How do we use 'real' in a sentence?
As an adjective to describe something that has actual existence.
How do we use 'realistic' in a sentence?
As an adjective to describe the likelihood or believability of something.
Is 'real' objective?
Yes, 'real' is an objective term referring to actual existence.
How do you prove something is real?
By providing tangible evidence of its existence.
Can 'realistic' be a critique?
Yes, calling something realistic can sometimes imply a lack of imagination or ambition.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
