reality

Universal Words noun (plural realities) 1 [U] the true situation and the problems that actually exist in life, in contrast to how you would like life to be: She refuses to face reality. * You're out of touch with reality. * The reality is that there is not enough money to pay for this project. * They seemed to have the perfect marriage but the reality was very different. 2 [C] a thing that is actually experienced or seen, in contrast to what people might imagine: the harsh realities of life * This decision reflects the realities of the political situation. * The paperless office is still far from being a reality. * Will time travel ever become a reality? IDIOMS in reality used to say that a situation is different from what has just been said or from what people believe: Outwardly she seemed confident but in reality she felt extremely nervous. * In reality, human beings and dinosaurs never lived on earth at the same time. seealsoVIRTUALREALITY