realize

UK: /ˈrɪəlaɪz/ US: /ˈriəˌlaɪz/ ,(rē′ə līz′)

Inflections of 'realize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

realizes

v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

realizing

v pres p (US & UK)

realized

v past (US & UK)

realized

v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•al•ize /ˈriəˌlaɪz/   v., -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. to grasp with the mind, believe, or understand clearly: [~ + object]
   At long last he realized the truth.
   [~ + clause]
   Suddenly he realized what had happened.
2. to make real;
   give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.):
   [~ + object] He realized his dream and became a teacher.
3. to obtain or gain for oneself by trade, labor, or investment:
   [~ + object] We realized a net profit of over six hundred thousand dollars.

re•al•iz•a•ble, adj. See -real-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•al•ize  (rē′ə līz′), v., -ized, -iz•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to grasp or understand clearly.
2. to make real;
   give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.).
3. to bring vividly to the mind.
4. to convert into cash or money:
   to realize securities.
5. to obtain as a profit or income for oneself by trade, labor, or investment.
6. to bring as proceeds, as from a sale:
   The goods realized $1000.
7. Music and Dance to sight-read on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass).
8. Linguistics to serve as an instance, representation, or embodiment of (an abstract linguistic element or category):
   In "Jack tripped,'' the subject is realized by "Jack,'' the predicate by "tripped,'' and the past tense by "-ed.''

v.i. 

9. to convert property or goods into cash or money.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] re′al•ise′. 

• French réaliser, Middle French, equivalent. to real real¹ + -iser -ize
• 1605–15

re′al•iz′a•ble, adj. 
re′al•iz′a•bil′i•ty, re′al•iz′a•ble•ness, n. 
re′al•iz′a•bly, adv. 
re′al•iz′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. conceive, comprehend.
• 2. accomplish, effect.
• 3. See imagine. 

Antonyms

• 1. misunderstand.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

realize, realise / ˈrɪəˌlaɪz/ verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to become conscious or aware of (something)
2. (tr, often passive) to bring (a plan, ambition, etc) to fruition; make actual or concrete
3. (transitive) to give (something, such as a drama or film) the appearance of reality
4. (transitive) (of goods, property, etc) to sell for or make (a certain sum): this table realized £800
5. (transitive) to convert (property or goods) into cash
6. (transitive)(of a musicologist or performer) to reconstruct (a composition) from an incomplete set of parts

ˈrealˌizable, ˈrealˌisable adjective

ˈrealˌizably, ˈrealˌisably adverb

ˌrealiˈzation, ˌrealiˈsation noun