unofficial
Britishadjective
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not official or formal
an unofficial engagement
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not confirmed officially
an unofficial report
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(of a strike) not approved by the strikers' trade union
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(of a medicinal drug) not listed in a pharmacopoeia
Other Word Forms
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.
BTS’s lawsuit angered some devotees, who say unofficial merch is an essential part of their fandom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
There is one final bit of irony: Cornell’s longtime unofficial mascot is Touchdown the Big Red Bear, a tradition dating to 1915, when the football team once adopted a live black bear.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
After the mayoral primary, Robb transitioned to a role as an unpaid, unofficial advisor to the mayor, her office said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
Singer Callum Beattie's rendition of Baccara's Yes Sir, I Can Boogie – the 1970s disco tune recently adopted as Scotland's unofficial anthem - had the Scottish athletes dancing in their seats.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The Tunisia Grand Prix felt like an unofficial debut for me.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.