realization
noun
Realization — the moment an idea or hope becomes concrete and real
Definition
Something that is made real or concrete; "the victory was the realization of a whole year's work"
In depth
Realization names something made real or concrete, the moment a previously abstract hope, plan, or possibility takes actual, tangible form in the world. The word also carries a distinct cognitive sense, describing the sudden mental act of fully understanding or becoming aware of something, the moment a truth crystallizes in the mind.
Origin
The word descends from 'real,' from Latin realis, actual or factual, with the added suffix indicating the process of becoming. Its dual meaning, making something actually exist and coming to actually understand something, share the same underlying logic: in both cases, something previously merely possible or assumed becomes, finally, fully and undeniably actual.
Usage examples
"The victory was the realization of a whole year's relentless, often discouraging training."
"Her realization that she had been wrong came slowly, then all at once, late one ordinary evening."
"The building stood as the realization of an architectural vision two decades in the making."
How to use it
Realization spans two related but distinct senses, the concrete manifestation of a plan or hope, and the cognitive moment of understanding something fully, and writers should rely on context to clarify which is intended in any given passage.
Related concepts
Looking for a word but don't know its name?
Try the Word Finder →