Showing results for IRL. Search instead for CIRL.

IRL

American

in real life (in contrast with communication and interaction online or in a fictional situation).

I play online video games with people I've never met IRL.

IRL British

abbreviation

text messaging in real life
Ireland (international car registration)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of IRL

From its use in digital communications

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To meet IRL, I had to make it count.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Hudson Williams and his IRL bestie Connor Storrie have secured appearances at the Golden Globes and the 2026 Winter Olympics, where they carried the torch of the ceremony and a brighter era of LGBTQ+ visibility.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

"International rugby league has never been more competitive and there will be genuine superstars across all groups and stages in this tournament," said IRL chairman Troy Grant.

From Barron's • Nov. 23, 2025

“We used to have churches. Now, not a lot of people practice religion in America. Having a community, having an IRL experience is an incredibly valuable thing.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 30, 2025

I wanted to ridicule him for using chatspeak IRL, but I found myself lacking the energy.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023