🇮🇹Italian Source WordCode: IT

realpolitik

Pronunciation / Transliteration: re.al.poˈli.tik

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Realpolitik/reɪˈɑːl.pəʊ.lɪ.tiːk/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #14500 frequency
Full Thesaurus
🇮🇹 Example Sentence in Italian:

"Il governo ha adottato una linea di rigida realpolitik."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.

    "The foreign minister practiced a ruthless realpolitik to secure vital trade routes for the nation."
  2. 2

    Political dealings characterized by a pragmatic, power-driven approach rather than theoretical ideals.

    "In international relations, idealism often gives way to realpolitik during times of crisis."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Borrowed directly from German Realpolitik, coined in the 19th century by writer and politician Ludwig von Rochau, combining the adjective real (realistic, factual) and Politik (politics). The term emerged during the mid-19th-century decline of idealism in Europe to describe political actions guided by practical, material circumstances rather than moral, ideological, or ethical premises.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Realpolitik"?

10 Global Lexicons: How "Realpolitik" is said worldwide

Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration

Thesaurus & Synonyms Graph

Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Realpolitik"

Discover exact matches, context-specific alternatives, and antonyms with intensity ratings in the VocabDictionary Thesaurus.

View "Realpolitik" Synonym Map