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

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

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

There’s a place called Charrd, which does unreal burgers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

"The pressure of the Olympics really gets you... it's unreal," an emotional Malinin told journalists afterwards.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

I was so absorbed in the movie that real life feels slightly unreal; I have the uncanny sense of having stepped out of the screen and onto the street.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

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