rea
lism
Plural
realisms
1
a literary or artistic style that gives a lifelike representation of people, events, and objects
Realism was a literary and artistic movement that began in the mid-19th century, focusing on reflecting life as it truly is, without exaggeration or making it seem better than it is. In literature, writers like Gustave Flaubert and Henry James aimed to show everyday life and ordinary people with accurate detail, emphasizing the struggles and challenges of real life. In art, painters like Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet painted scenes from everyday life, often showing the harsh realities of labor and poverty. Realism aimed to give a truthful representation of the world, focusing on accurate details and avoiding representations that make things seem more appealing or dramatic than they really are. The movement emphasized a more straightforward and honest view of life, reflecting the social and economic conditions of the time.
- The artist's commitment to realism is evident in his paintings, which meticulously depict the everyday lives of rural workers with incredible detail.
- Realism in literature often involves focusing on ordinary characters and situations, avoiding romanticized or idealized portrayals.
- Gustave Courbet was a pioneer of realism in art, challenging the conventions of his time by painting scenes of common people and their struggles.
- The novel's realism is striking, with its vivid descriptions of urban life and the complexities of human relationships.
- She preferred the directness of realism in her sculptures, capturing the true forms and emotions of her subjects without embellishment.
Synonyms:
2
a practical and straightforward way of looking at things that focuses on what is actually happening rather than what we wish would happen
- His realism helped him stay calm during the crisis.
- She approached the project with a sense of realism, expecting challenges.
- Realism in politics often involves facing harsh truths about the situation.
- Their realism made them more prepared for the difficulties ahead.
- Realism teaches us to deal with life as it is, not as we hope it to be.
Synonyms:
3
the quality or condition of being true to actual experience, fact, or existence
- The author's novel captures the realism of urban life.
- His speech emphasized the realism of the economic challenges ahead.
- The film's attention to detail contributed to its sense of realism.
- The sculpture's realism astonished viewers with its lifelike textures.
- Critics praised the documentary for its stark realism and honesty.
Antonyms:
4
the doctrine that physical objects continue to exist and retain their properties even when they are not perceived by any mind
- She defended realism by arguing that distant stars still shine even when no telescope is pointed at them.
- Scientific realism holds that electrons occupy space whether or not a detector registers them.
- His argument for realism rested on the idea that unobserved forests still rustle in the wind.
- In the classroom, she challenged her students to imagine a world in which realism about everyday objects fails.
Synonyms:
5
the doctrine that abstract entities exist independently of human concepts, language, or names
- A Platonist form of realism holds that mathematical objects like π are real even without anyone thinking about them.
- In his paper, she defended realism about propositions by insisting they persist beyond any verbal formulation.
- Realism about sets treats them as mind-independent objects inhabiting an abstract realm.
Synonyms: