unreal

American  

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

adjective

1. not real reis or actual.

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

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

   unreal propaganda serving as news.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• unreally adverb

Etymology

Origin of unreal

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

Example Sentences

“It was unreal emotion and I’m so happy for these kids,” Logan said.

From Los Angeles Times

Themes of the fabulous and the unreal went from cultural acclaim to critical disdain relatively quickly.

From The Wall Street Journal

And humble as he was postgame, Loyola’s “Captain America” — as the student section dubbed him — put together a similarly unreal performance.

From Los Angeles Times

“It was a feeling that it’s unreal, to come back from that deficit,” maestro shooter Nijel Pack said.

From Washington Post

It felt unreal or like a heightened reality.

From Salon

Related Words

• dreamlike
• false
• fanciful
• hallucinatory
• illusory
• immaterial
• unbelievable