Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To comprehend completely or correctly.
  • intransitive verb To bring into reality; make real.
  • intransitive verb To make realistic.
  • intransitive verb To obtain or achieve, as gain or profit.
  • intransitive verb To bring in (a sum) as profit by sale.
  • intransitive verb To exchange holdings or goods for money.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make or cause to become real; bring into existence or fact: as, to realize a project, or a dream of empire.
  • To perceive or comprehend the reality of; make real or distinct to one's self; recognize the real nature or the actual existence of: as, to realize the horrors of war; to realize one's danger or one's deficiencies.
  • To manifest as real or as a reality; exhibit the actual existence or character of; cause to appear real or distinct.
  • To bring or get into actual possession; make one's own; clear as a profit or gain; obtain a return of: as, to realize a fortune from speculation.
  • To bring into form for actual or ready use; exchange for cash or ready means: as, to realize one's stock or securities.
  • To fetch as a price or return; bring in exchange or as compensation; make a return of: as, how much did the cargo realizet his labor realizes but little.
  • To convert into real estate; make real property of.
  • To obtain ready money or profits by sale of property.
  • Also spelled realise.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To convert any kind of property into money, especially property representing investments, as shares in stock companies, bonds, etc.
  • transitive verb To make real; to convert from the imaginary or fictitious into the actual; to bring into concrete existence; to effectuate; to accomplish.
  • transitive verb To cause to seem real; to impress upon the mind as actual; to feel vividly or strongly; to make one's own in apprehension or experience.
  • transitive verb To convert into real property; to make real estate of.
  • transitive verb To acquire as an actual possession; to obtain as the result of plans and efforts; to gain; to get.
  • transitive verb To convert into actual money.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To make real; to convert from the imaginary or fictitious into the actual; to bring into concrete existence; to accomplish.
  • verb transitive To become aware of a fact or situation.
  • verb transitive To cause to seem real; to impress upon the mind as actual; to feel vividly or strongly; to make one's own in apprehension or experience.
  • verb transitive, business To acquire as an actual possession; to obtain as the result of plans and efforts; to gain; to get
  • verb transitive, business, finance To convert any kind of property into money, especially property representing investments, as shares, bonds, etc.
  • verb transitive, business, obsolete To convert into real property; to make real estate of.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
  • verb expand or complete (a part in a piece of baroque music) by supplying the harmonies indicated in the figured bass
  • verb be fully aware or cognizant of
  • verb perceive (an idea or situation) mentally
  • verb convert into cash; of goods and property
  • verb make real or concrete; give reality or substance to

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French réaliser, from Old French, from real, real; see real.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Attested since 1610, from French réaliser, from Middle French real ("actual"), from Old French reel, from Latin realis, from res ("thing, event, deed, fact"); as if real +‎ -ize.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word realize.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.