Standard Lemma guide

real-life

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY1 L L AY2 F Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

As happens in real life; not fictional or theoretical; actual as opposed to believed or assumed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He was a real-life detective before playing one in the movies.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Not online, in real life.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Real reading context

real-life in complete knowledge articles