in reality

As things are

In reality signals a contrast between appearance or assumption and fact—what is actually the case rather than what seems to be: He claimed to be wealthy, but in reality he was broke.

The phrase often introduces a correction or surprising truth: The process sounds simple but in reality takes months to master.

truth

veracity

Conformity to fact

authenticityQuality of being genuine
honestyTruthfulness, sincerity
sincerityHonest, unfeigned genuineness

genuineness · accuracy · factuality · candor · frankness · disclosure · transparency · straight talk · plain truth · hard truth

contrast

illusion

Misleading sensory impression

fantasyImaginative mental wandering
fictionImagined narrative work
mythTraditional explanatory tale

delusion · dream · mirage · fabrication · pretense · make-believe · deception · misconception · falsehood · theory

actual

factual

Grounded in truth

genuineTruly what it claims
authenticVerified as original
verifiableAble to be proven

concrete · tangible · empirical · objective · substantive · undeniable · legitimate · bona fide · credible · valid

Categories

in summaryin short, in brief, in sum, briefly, succinctly
Revelation phrasesaha, eureka, voila, ta-da, behold

Opposites

actuality vs. hypothesis/supposition

in realityhypothetically

In assumed circumstances

in theory · theoretically · in principle · on paper · supposedly

actuality vs. appearance/perception

in realityseemingly

Appearing to be so

apparently · ostensibly · on the surface · superficially · outwardly

actuality vs. imagination/fiction

in realityfictionally

In invented narrative form

Family

real, really, reality, unreal, surreal, realities, unreality, virtual reality, realer

Familiarity: Top 20,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G