real-world

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈriːˌlwɜrld/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Relating to or existing in the actual physical world, as opposed to theoretical, hypothetical, or simulated situations.; Practical and grounded in everyday experience rather than idealized or academic.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Collocations

real-world applicationreal-world examplereal-world scenarioreal-world experiencereal-world problemreal-world data

Synonyms

practicalappliedactualempiricaltangible

Antonyms

theoreticalhypotheticalabstract

Commonly confused

real world
EN: 'real world' (no hyphen) is a noun phrase (e.g., 'in the real world'); 'real-world' (hyphenated) is a compound adjective modifying a noun (e.g., 'real-world experience').

Spelling tips

EN: Use a hyphen when 'real-world' functions as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., 'real-world skills'), but no hyphen when used as a noun phrase (e.g., 'in the real world').

💬 Examples

  1. The students struggled to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems.

  2. She gained real-world experience through her internship at the law firm.