1. A practical and realistic approach to problems and situations, rather than a theoretical or idealistic one
   "His realism in assessing the situation led to a successful outcome";
   - pragmatism
    
2. Faithfulness to reality in literature and film
   "The movie's realism made the violence disturbing"
    
3. The state of being actual or real
   "The harsh realism of poverty shocked the visitors";
   - reality, realness
    
4. An artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description
   "Zola's novels exemplified the realism movement in literature";
   - naturalism
    
5. (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names
   "The debate between realism and nominalism continues in modern philosophy";
   - Platonism
    
6. (philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical objects continue to exist when not perceived
   "Naive realism assumes that the world exists exactly as we perceive it";
   - naive realism
    
7. (international relations) an approach emphasizing practical power relationships between states rather than ideological or moral concerns
   "Foreign policy realism led them to ally with former enemies"

Derived forms: realisms

See also: existent, real, unreal

Type of: actuality, art movement, artistic movement, philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory, practicality

Encyclopedia: Realism, Nominalism, Conceptualism