"IRL" meaning in English

See IRL in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Etymology: Initialisms and abbreviations. Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} IRL (not comparable)
  1. Existing or being such in real life. Tags: not-comparable
    Sense id: en-IRL-en-adj-WgSxnpFT

Adverb

Etymology: Initialisms and abbreviations. Head templates: {{en-adv|-}} IRL (not comparable)
  1. (Internet slang) Initialism of in real life (as opposed to online). Tags: Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, not-comparable Alternative form of: in real life (extra: as opposed to online) Synonyms: in the flesh, offline
    Sense id: en-IRL-en-adv-5KCsBzdX

Proper name

Etymology: Initialisms and abbreviations. Head templates: {{en-proper noun}} IRL
  1. (motor racing) Initialism of Indy Racing League. Tags: abbreviation, alt-of, initialism Alternative form of: Indy Racing League Categories (topical): Motor racing

Noun

Forms: IRLs [plural]
Etymology: Initialisms and abbreviations. Head templates: {{en-noun}} IRL (plural IRLs)
  1. (Internet slang) An IRL friend. Tags: Internet Related terms: RL, meatspace, OOC, IG, AFK
    Sense id: en-IRL-en-noun-gkf0qekI

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "IRL",
      "name": "en-proper noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "Indy Racing League"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English links with redundant alt parameters",
          "parents": [
            "Links with redundant alt parameters",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English links with redundant wikilinks",
          "parents": [
            "Links with redundant wikilinks",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Motor racing",
          "orig": "en:Motor racing",
          "parents": [
            "Automotive",
            "Sports",
            "Transport",
            "Human activity",
            "All topics",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Fundamental",
            "Human"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Initialism of Indy Racing League."
      ],
      "id": "en-IRL-en-name-hz6sF8TJ",
      "links": [
        [
          "motor racing",
          "motor racing"
        ],
        [
          "Indy Racing League",
          "w:Indy Racing League"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(motor racing) Initialism of Indy Racing League."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "initialism"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "motor-racing",
        "racing",
        "sports"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "IRL (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "as opposed to online",
          "word": "in real life"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2015, Joanna Walsh, Grow a Pair:",
          "text": "Due to the splendid isolation guaranteed by her social position she had never met a cock IRL and, as there was no Wi-Fi in the palace, she had no opportunity to check the facts.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 October 15, “Why is it so hard to go from chatting on Tinder to meeting up in real life?”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "I’ve recently been trying out Tinder, and while I match with people and even chat with them everything seems to be going well, but whenever I bring up meeting IRL, they are quick to ghost me.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Initialism of in real life (as opposed to online)."
      ],
      "id": "en-IRL-en-adv-5KCsBzdX",
      "links": [
        [
          "Internet",
          "Internet"
        ],
        [
          "slang",
          "slang"
        ],
        [
          "in",
          "in#English"
        ],
        [
          "real life",
          "real life#English"
        ],
        [
          "online",
          "online"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Internet slang) Initialism of in real life (as opposed to online)."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "in the flesh"
        },
        {
          "word": "offline"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet",
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "initialism",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "IRL (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "His IRL girlfriend.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 January 10, Aimee Cliff, “Poppy: I Disagree review – online pop-bot embraces IRL nu-metal”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "But as Poppy’s fictional world expanded, Pereira became embroiled in IRL controversy.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021 December 2, Mike Pomeranz, “Archived copy”, in foodandwine.com, archived from the original on 2023-03-12:",
          "text": "[…] this \"100-percent real soap bar\" is \"the perfect gift for cilantro lovers and haters alike\" […] Chipotle says the now IRL soap stems from a humorous photo the brand shared on Instagram back in August.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Existing or being such in real life."
      ],
      "id": "en-IRL-en-adj-WgSxnpFT",
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "IRLs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "IRL (plural IRLs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "An IRL friend."
      ],
      "id": "en-IRL-en-noun-gkf0qekI",
      "links": [
        [
          "Internet",
          "Internet"
        ],
        [
          "slang",
          "slang"
        ],
        [
          "IRL",
          "#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Internet slang) An IRL friend."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "RL"
        },
        {
          "word": "meatspace"
        },
        {
          "word": "OOC"
        },
        {
          "word": "IG"
        },
        {
          "word": "AFK"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English retronyms",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "IRL",
      "name": "en-proper noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "name",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "Indy Racing League"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English initialisms",
        "English links with redundant alt parameters",
        "English links with redundant wikilinks",
        "en:Motor racing"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Initialism of Indy Racing League."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "motor racing",
          "motor racing"
        ],
        [
          "Indy Racing League",
          "w:Indy Racing League"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(motor racing) Initialism of Indy Racing League."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "initialism"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "motor-racing",
        "racing",
        "sports"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English retronyms",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "IRL (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "as opposed to online",
          "word": "in real life"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English initialisms",
        "English internet slang",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2015, Joanna Walsh, Grow a Pair:",
          "text": "Due to the splendid isolation guaranteed by her social position she had never met a cock IRL and, as there was no Wi-Fi in the palace, she had no opportunity to check the facts.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015 October 15, “Why is it so hard to go from chatting on Tinder to meeting up in real life?”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "I’ve recently been trying out Tinder, and while I match with people and even chat with them everything seems to be going well, but whenever I bring up meeting IRL, they are quick to ghost me.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Initialism of in real life (as opposed to online)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Internet",
          "Internet"
        ],
        [
          "slang",
          "slang"
        ],
        [
          "in",
          "in#English"
        ],
        [
          "real life",
          "real life#English"
        ],
        [
          "online",
          "online"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Internet slang) Initialism of in real life (as opposed to online)."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "in the flesh"
        },
        {
          "word": "offline"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet",
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "initialism",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English retronyms",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "IRL (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "His IRL girlfriend.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 January 10, Aimee Cliff, “Poppy: I Disagree review – online pop-bot embraces IRL nu-metal”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "But as Poppy’s fictional world expanded, Pereira became embroiled in IRL controversy.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021 December 2, Mike Pomeranz, “Archived copy”, in foodandwine.com, archived from the original on 2023-03-12:",
          "text": "[…] this \"100-percent real soap bar\" is \"the perfect gift for cilantro lovers and haters alike\" […] Chipotle says the now IRL soap stems from a humorous photo the brand shared on Instagram back in August.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Existing or being such in real life."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English proper nouns",
    "English retronyms",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Initialisms and abbreviations.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "IRLs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "IRL (plural IRLs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "RL"
    },
    {
      "word": "meatspace"
    },
    {
      "word": "OOC"
    },
    {
      "word": "IG"
    },
    {
      "word": "AFK"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English internet slang"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An IRL friend."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Internet",
          "Internet"
        ],
        [
          "slang",
          "slang"
        ],
        [
          "IRL",
          "#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Internet slang) An IRL friend."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "IRL"
}

Download raw JSONL data for IRL meaning in English (5.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-03-18 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-02 using wiktextract (f2d86ce and 633533e). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.