the real thing
noun
: something that is genuine and not a copy or imitation : something that is truly valuable or important
The diamond turned out to be the real thing.
You've done very well in your training. Let's just hope you're ready for the real thing.
Examples of the real thing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Tour Finals will be contested on the virtual version of Bay Hill Club and Lodge, with the real thing also located in Orlando.
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Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Some are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, while others are inspired by the original design and offer morecolors or textures.
—Juliana Liu, CNN, 23 Sep. 2024
But our dream bodies are only loose sketches of the real thing.
—Krista Stevens, Longreads, 12 Sep. 2024
The question of which of them represents the real and which of them represents the unreal — which of them is the model village and which is the real thing — is one the movie never bothers to answer.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the real thing 
Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Some are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, while others are inspired by the original design and offer morecolors or textures.
—Juliana Liu, CNN, 23 Sep. 2024
But our dream bodies are only loose sketches of the real thing.
—Krista Stevens, Longreads, 12 Sep. 2024
The question of which of them represents the real and which of them represents the unreal — which of them is the model village and which is the real thing — is one the movie never bothers to answer.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the real thing
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the real thing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the real thing
Cite this Entry
“The real thing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20real%20thing. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
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