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Synonyms

unreal

American  
[uhn-ree-uhl, -reel] / ʌnˈri əl, -ˈril /

adjective

  1. not real or actual.

  2. imaginary; fanciful; illusory; delusory; fantastic.

  3. lacking in truth; not genuine; false; artificial.

    unreal propaganda serving as news.


unreal British  
/ ʌnˈrɪəl /

adjective

  1. imaginary or fanciful or seemingly so

    an unreal situation

  2. having no actual existence or substance

  3. insincere or artificial

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of unreal

First recorded in 1595–1605; un- 1 + real 1

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.

"We know basketball is huge in America, obviously not so much in the UK. It was unreal… I might even start following basketball now because of it."

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

Others, however, warn that the fluid nature of filmmaking makes rigid eight-hour shifts "unreal" to enforce on mega-budget sets.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

Roman Dubowski said winning the ITV game show, which is hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, was "unreal", adding that he "had to have a cup of tea" afterwards and "let it sink in".

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

It still feels unreal to Small that her album generates revenue.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Under a cloudless blue sky stretched a breath-taking glittering universe, carved of dazzling white coral, unreal and silent.

From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare

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