realise

IPA/ɹˈiəlaɪz/
KK[rˈiəlˌaɪz]IPA/rˈiːəlˌaɪz/

realise — verb

1. to come to understand a fact or situation, especially when this happens suddenly

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to come to understand a fact or situation, especially when this happens suddenly or after a period of not knowing about it

Example

Sarah suddenly realised she had left her keys on the bus.

realise + that-clause for sudden awareness

Liam realised how much his family meant to him after moving abroad.

realise + question word (how much)

Common collocations
  • suddenly realise
  • gradually realise
  • only realise
  • fail to realise
  • begin to realise
Synonyms
  • understand

    broader; does not imply a sudden moment of awareness

  • notice

    refers to perceiving through the senses, not mental understanding

  • become aware of

    more formal and slightly longer phrasal alternative

  • dawn on

    informal; emphasises the slow or gradual nature of realisation

Antonyms
  • ignore

    to deliberately pay no attention

  • miss

    to fail to notice or understand

Grammar Patterns

realise + that-clause

realise + question word (e.g. why, what, how)

Usage Note

Often used with adverbs like 'suddenly', 'gradually', or 'only' to describe the timing of the realisation. Can take a that-clause (often with 'that' omitted in informal speech) or a question word clause.

Common Mistakes

I realised the answer' (when meaning 'found out').
I realised what the answer was.
'realise' usually takes a clause rather than a direct noun object.
I didn't realise about the meeting.
I didn't realise there was a meeting.
the noun following 'realise' typically needs a clause structure.

2. to succeed in making a hope, dream, or plan become something real — for example,

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to succeed in making a hope, dream, or plan become something real — for example, finally opening a restaurant you had dreamed of, or reaching a goal you had worked towards for years

Example

After years of hard work, Arjun finally realised his dream of becoming a doctor.

collocation: realise + dream

The school realised its ambition to build a new sports centre last year.

collocation: realise + ambition

Common collocations
  • realise a dream
  • realise an ambition
  • realise a goal
  • realise a vision
  • realise a plan
Synonyms
  • achieve

    more common in everyday use; broader meaning

  • fulfil

    emphasises satisfying a potential or expectation

  • attain

    more formal; often used with goals or status

Antonyms
  • abandon

    to give up on a hope or plan

  • fail

    to not succeed in reaching a goal

Grammar Patterns

realise + noun phrase (hope, dream, ambition, plan)

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person, group, or organisation. Object is typically an abstract noun such as 'dream', 'ambition', 'goal', 'vision', or 'plan'. More formal than 'achieve'.

Common Mistakes

I realised my project' (meaning 'finished it').
I realised my vision for the project.
the object of 'realise' in this sense is abstract (a hope or vision), not a concrete task.

3. to happen in a way that confirms someone's worst fears — used to say that someth

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to happen in a way that confirms someone's worst fears — used to say that something bad that was expected or worried about actually takes place

Example

Christopher's worst fears were realised when the company announced it was closing down.

passive: fears were realised

The villagers' worries about flooding were realised after three days of heavy rain.

Common collocations
  • worst fears realised
  • fears were realised
  • worries realised
  • concerns realised
Synonyms
  • come true

    neutral; can apply to both good and bad outcomes

  • materialise

    more formal; often used for abstract possibilities

Grammar Patterns

realise + noun phrase (fear, worry)

Usage Note

Almost always used in the passive voice ('fears were realised', 'worries were realised'). The subject is typically a negative expectation or anxiety. Distinguish from sense 2 (ACHIEVE), where the outcome is positive.

4. to reach a specific sum when sold, especially at an auction or in a financial tr

4.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to reach a specific sum when sold, especially at an auction or in a financial transaction

Example

The painting by Élise's grandmother realised over ten thousand pounds at auction.

realise + price at auction

The rare vase realised a higher price than the auction house had expected.

Common collocations
  • realise a price
  • realise an amount
  • realise a sum
Synonyms
  • fetch

    less formal; used in everyday contexts for prices

  • sell for

    neutral; the most general alternative

Grammar Patterns

realise + amount of money

Usage Note

Subject is the item being sold, not the seller. The object is always a sum of money. Common in auction and real-estate contexts.

5. to turn an asset such as property or shares into cash by selling it, so that the

5.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to turn an asset such as property or shares into cash by selling it, so that the owner receives its value in money

Example

The family realised the value of their shares to pay for their daughter's university fees.

realise + value of asset

Lucas realised his investment in the property market and made a good profit.

Common collocations
  • realise assets
  • realise investments
  • realise property
  • realise shares
  • realise the value
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

realise + noun phrase (asset, investment, property)

Usage Note

The direct object is the asset itself or its value. Frequently used in financial and legal writing. Distinguish from sense 4 (SELL FOR): sense 4 describes the price an item reaches when sold, while sense 5 describes the act of selling an asset to obtain cash.

6. to add harmonies and full chords to a bass line that has numbers written underne

6.verbtransitive
Definition

to add harmonies and full chords to a bass line that has numbers written underneath it, creating a complete musical part in the Baroque style

Example

The music student was asked to realise the figured bass for a Bach cantata.

specialised: realise + figured bass

A skilled harpsichordist can realise a figured bass spontaneously during a performance.

Common collocations
  • realise a figured bass
  • realise the bass line
  • realise the harmony

Grammar Patterns

realise + noun phrase (bass line, figured bass)

Usage Note

A technical term in Baroque music performance. The subject is a musician or student; the object is a figured bass or a bass line with figures.

7. to give a musical performance or arrangement that reflects a chosen style, mood,

7.verbtransitive
Definition

to give a musical performance or arrangement that reflects a chosen style, mood, or interpretation

Example

The orchestra realised the symphony in a bold and dramatic style.

realise + style adverb

Hannah realised the folk song with a gentle acoustic guitar arrangement.

Common collocations
  • realise in a ... style
  • realise with ... arrangement
Synonyms
  • interpret

    more common in music criticism

  • perform

    neutral; no stylistic nuance implied

  • render

    formal; often used in music reviews

Grammar Patterns

realise + noun phrase + adverb/prepositional phrase

Usage Note

Typically followed by an adverb or prepositional phrase describing the style or manner of performance. Less common than 'interpret' or 'perform'.

8. to produce a particular speech sound in actual spoken language — for example, a

8.verbtransitive
Definition

to produce a particular speech sound in actual spoken language — for example, a phoneme may be realised differently depending on the surrounding sounds

Example

In some British accents, the /t/ sound is realised as a glottal stop between vowels.

passive: is realised as [sound]

The phoneme /r/ is realised differently in Scottish and Southern English speech.

Common collocations
  • realised as
  • realised phonetically
  • realised in speech
Synonyms
  • pronounced

    the everyday term; less precise in linguistics

  • articulated

    formal; refers to the physical act of forming sounds

Grammar Patterns

realise + noun phrase + as + phonetic description

Usage Note

Common in the pattern 'be realised as [phonetic description]'. The subject is a phoneme or speech sound; the object or complement describes its actual pronunciation.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

While all four words relate to mental understanding, 'realise' emphasises the moment when something becomes clear, often suddenly ('She realised she had missed the train'). 'Understand' is the broadest term and covers all levels of comprehension, from basic facts to complex ideas ('I understand the instructions now'). 'Grasp' suggests a firm hold on a concept, often after effort ('The student finally grasped the main argument of the essay'). 'Comprehend' is more formal and implies full intellectual awareness ('The scale of the disaster was hard to comprehend'). In everyday British English, 'realise' and 'understand' are the most frequent choices; 'grasp' adds a sense of active effort; 'comprehend' is reserved for more formal or intellectual contexts. For example, you might realise you left your wallet at home (a sudden awareness), understand the traffic rules (general knowledge), grasp the key point of a lecture (after focusing), and comprehend the implications of a scientific theory (deep, formal understanding).

understand ↗graspcomprehend ↗realise ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • come to realise
  • begin to realise
  • fail to realise
  • only then did I realise
  • it took me a while to realise

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'realise' comes from French 'réaliser', which was formed from 'réel' (real). The French word itself traces back to Latin 'realis', meaning 'actual' or 'belonging to things'. The earliest English use (17th century) meant 'to make real' — that is, to turn something from an idea into a concrete fact. The sense of 'becoming aware' developed later. The British spelling with '-ise' follows French spelling conventions, while American English prefers '-ize'.