unreality

[uhn-ree-al-i-tee]

See more synonyms for unreality on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural un·re·al·i·ties.

lack of reality; quality of being unreal: the unreality of dreams.
something that is unreal, invalid, imaginary, or illusory: She appeared to be living in a world of unrealities.
incompetence or impracticality, especially in everyday matters.

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Origin of unreality

First recorded in 1745–55; un-¹ + reality

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

falsehood duplicity insincerity inaccuracy deceit mendacity thought artistry imagery ingenuity intelligence image insight idea fancy resourcefulness originality fantasy wit awareness

Examples from the Web for unreality

Contemporary Examples

When NYC Prep premiered, it got a lot of flak for the sheer gall of its unreality.
The Surreal Genius of Bravo’s Rich Kids Docudrama ‘NYC Prep’
Amy Zimmerman
April 23, 2014
Like reality television, “Real America” has become the height of unreality.
The Race Is On in Silicon Valley to Escape Real America
James Poulos
November 30, 2013
Adding to the air of unreality, a fair amount of the debate around avoiding a debt ceiling seemed outlandish.
Obama Brinksmanship Puts GOP in Tough Spot on Debt Ceiling
Daniel Gross
January 14, 2013
Like the elaborately choreographed escape from default, it was a signal moment of Washington unreality, more farce than tragedy.
Washington’s Earthquake Farce
Howard Kurtz
August 24, 2011
With that kind of unreality, people lose sight of little brains versus adult brains.
Tatum O'Neal Opens Up
Marlow Stern
June 15, 2011

Historical Examples

Unreality and mystery begin as soon as one touches the body.
Howards End
E. M. Forster
It is a question not of Reality or Unreality, but of greater and of lesser Activity.
The Prodigal Returns
Lilian Staveley
The unreality of it—the strangeness of his own sensations—were borne in upon him.
The Finding of Haldgren
Charles Willard Diffin
Horrible, horrible nights; surcharged with the frenzy and unreality of a nightmare.
Garrison's Finish
W. B. M. Ferguson
Before there had been a certain sense of unreality in the whole thing.
The Traitors
E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

British Dictionary definitions for unreality

unreality

noun

the quality or state of being unreal, fanciful, or impractical
something that is unreal

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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