Reel-Real | Commonly Confused Words

Reel

/riːl/

To stumble or lurch forward or to wind something onto a spool.

/rɪəl/

Genuine or not artificial; existing in fact and not imagined

She did not realize that I was not the real King."I'm real fat," she said heartily.Then he said to me, 'John Openshaw is in real danger.

Remember reel like a fishing rod reel or a movie reel, something tangible you can hold or see.
Real is used for things that exist or are true, like the real world you live in.
A reel is often associated with something that spins or rotates, while real is about authenticity or actuality.
You can touch and feel a reel, whereas real is conceptual or abstract.
Reel can also imply a dizzy sensation, but real is about being concrete and definite