adjective
-
imaginary or fanciful or seemingly so
an unreal situation
-
having no actual existence or substance
-
insincere or artificial
Other Word Forms
- unreally adverb
Etymology
Origin of unreal
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.
It still feels unreal to Small that her album generates revenue.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Norrie told BBC Sport he has gained confidence from his results at Indian Wells so far - and also from an "unreal" pre-tournament practice session with world number two Jannik Sinner.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
Her voice, paired with Mr. Carey’s writing, creates a beguiling audio backstory for a woman whom time has rendered as unreal as one of her waxen figures.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Those glimpses of humanity had a way of rendering the mercenary atmosphere in the tent city incredibly disorienting—almost unreal.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
“I think it’s because it was so unreal by any pattern of thought I’m used to; I mean, it just didn’t make sense.”
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
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.
