surreal

American  

[suh-ree-uhl, -reel] / səˈri əl, -ˈril /

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.

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Other Word Forms

• surreality noun
• surreally adverb

Etymology

Origin of surreal

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

Example Sentences

"It was a very surreal experience," says Lanier.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Each step of this increasingly surreal tale dramatizes—that is, gives form to—an act of vanishing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The current “Comeback” storyline is the brighter side of the “AI Doc” coin in that Al’s glitches are surreal and hilarious at worst.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

For best international film, Norwegian family drama "Sentimental Value" will vie with Brazil's surreal political thriller "The Secret Agent."

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

The water, the sky, the way Dri’s eyes caught the twilight and turned green-gold ... the colors were surreal, movie-like.

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin