Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Realization has 8 different meanings across 1 category:
coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
"a growing realization of the risk involved"
"a sudden recognition of the problem he faced"
"increasing recognition that diabetes frequently coexists with other chronic diseases"
making real or giving the appearance of reality
"The director's clever use of lighting gave the entire set a convincing realization of life in ancient Rome."
a musical composition that has been completed or enriched by someone other than the composer
"The famous symphony we heard tonight was actually just a realization of a brief sketch left unfinished by the original composer."
a sale in order to obtain money (as a sale of stock or a sale of the estate of a bankrupt person) or the money so obtained
"After declaring bankruptcy, the trustee oversaw the realization of his assets to pay off creditors."
the completion or enrichment of a piece of music left sparsely notated by a composer
"The cellist's artistic realization of Bartók's unfinished sketch transformed sparse notes into a powerful symphony."
something that is made real or concrete
"the victory was the realization of a whole year's work"
The act of realizing.
"The realization of his dream took years of hard work and dedication."
An act of figuring out or becoming aware.
"The sudden realization that he had left his wallet at home made him rush back to the store immediately."
In plain English: Realization is when you finally notice something that was true all along but you didn't see before.
"The realization that he had left his keys at home made him rush back inside immediately."
Usage: Use realization to describe the moment you become aware of something, such as realizing your mistake. Do not confuse it with actualization, which refers to making a plan or idea happen in reality.
The word realization comes from the French réalisation, which was borrowed into English alongside its related verb. It originally carried the sense of making something real or actual before evolving into our modern usage.