surreal

[ suh-ree-uhl, -reel ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of surrealism, an artistic and literary style; surrealistic.
2. having the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal; fantastic:

   surreal complexities of the bureaucracy.

Other Words From

• sur·real·ly adverb
• sur·re·al·i·ty [s, uh, -ree-, al, -i-tee], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of surreal¹

First recorded in 1935–40; back formation from surrealism ( def ); sur- ¹( def ), real ¹( def )

Example Sentences

The Amsterdam- and Paris-based label offers surreal and seductive fashion that merges three-dimensional sculpting techniques with traditional handiwork, all made from a mix of recycled textiles, deadstock and new sustainable materials.

From Los Angeles Times

He called the experience surreal, and said even the most experienced officers had "never faced anything like the severity" of the violence.

From BBC

“It felt so surreal that I just stood there and listened to that while watching my parents be carted off,” Ms Wright said.

From BBC

“We talked about possibly doing a surreal yellow, almost postapocalyptic look, but it just had this artificiality that we didn’t like, so we leaned into real photography as a starting point.”

From Los Angeles Times

"He's doing so well now, it's quite surreal but it's really good, especially for those who don't know anything about the eye," they added.

From BBC