real-life

[ree-uhl-lahyf, reel-] / ˈri əlˌlaɪf, ˈril- /

ADJECTIVE

existing in reality

Synonyms

STRONGEST

actual authentic concrete corporal corporeal honest legitimate physical tangible

STRONG

empirical factual practical realistic

WEAK

non-fictional

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fake fictional

STRONG

delusional ethereal unrealistic

WEAK

untrue

NOUN

life as lived in the real world

Synonyms

STRONGEST

actuality natural world physical world real world

STRONG

reality realness

WEAK

being existence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Similar to a real-life version of The Truman Show, the setup recorded every moment of each animal's life.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

The hotels are looking to piggyback on a current trend: Over the past few years, social clubs in general have gotten popular, as people seek out places to enjoy community post-Covid and real-life meetups.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

China's tech titans, including Alibaba, are racing to develop AI agents -- tools that execute real-life tasks such as sending emails or booking flights, touted as the technology's next frontier after text and image generators.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

I wish there was more of that real-life feel.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

But they’d always seemed that way. wise and confident, and at the same time disconnected from whatever ugly, real-life problems Tally was having.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld