unreal

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

ADJECTIVE

fake, make-believe; hypothetical

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dreamlike false fanciful hallucinatory illusory immaterial unbelievable

STRONG

artificial insubstantial unsubstantial

WEAK

aerial chimerical delusive fabled fabulous fictitious fictive figmental ideal imaginary imagined impalpable insincere intangible invented legendary misleading mock mythical nebulous nonexistent notional ostensible phantasmagoric pretended seeming sham storybook suppositious supposititious theoretical visionary

Antonyms

STRONGEST

actual authentic genuine real

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It still feels unreal to Small that her album generates revenue.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

"It used to be like fog-like," he tells the BBC, adding that walking into a pub for the first time without the omnipresent cloud felt "unreal".

From BBC • Mar. 26, 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

“The atmosphere over race weekend in the city is unreal, and there’s something about it being the first race of the season which makes the vibes even better,” Lawson said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

When I think back to my life in 1942, it all seems so unreal.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

unreal

Example Sentences

Related Words