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
With professional graphics and unbeatable prices, scammers build an attractive website that looks eerily similar to the real thing.
—
Jan Diaz, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
The treatment doesn't infect the recipient but, again, sends an instruction kit to the immune system to be able to respond to the real thing if presented with an infection.
—New Atlas, 5 Feb. 2025
Unlike the vast majority of true crime docs, Zodiac Killer Project daringly allows the viewer to fill in the gaps for themselves and picture what may have happened, which is perhaps the best substitute for the real thing.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025
What's changed in the last few years is the increasing availability of fun, varied non-alcoholic drinks — from unique sodas to beers and wines that taste like the real thing.
—Erica Pandey, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the real thing 
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Jan Diaz, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
The treatment doesn't infect the recipient but, again, sends an instruction kit to the immune system to be able to respond to the real thing if presented with an infection.
—New Atlas, 5 Feb. 2025
Unlike the vast majority of true crime docs, Zodiac Killer Project daringly allows the viewer to fill in the gaps for themselves and picture what may have happened, which is perhaps the best substitute for the real thing.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025
What's changed in the last few years is the increasing availability of fun, varied non-alcoholic drinks — from unique sodas to beers and wines that taste like the real thing.
—Erica Pandey, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the real thing
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 21 Feb. 2025.
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