realpolitik

noun

re·​al·​po·​li·​tik rā-ˈäl-ˌpō-li-ˌtēk How to pronounce realpolitik (audio)
often capitalized
: politics based on practical and material factors rather than on theoretical or ethical objectives

Examples of realpolitik in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the leader says one of the biggest reasons to swing to Trump is simple realpolitik. Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2025 Instead, their rivalry is partly a function of their two leaders’ mutual animosity and partly the inevitable result of realpolitik. James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2025 Trump is showing what happens when realpolitik is reduced to mere transactionalism—and where spectacle outweighs strategy. Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025 In terms of realpolitik, of course, Israel most wants regime change in Iran. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for realpolitik

Word History

Etymology

German, from real actual + Politik politics

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of realpolitik was in 1895

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Cite this Entry

“Realpolitik.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/realpolitik. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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