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Showing results for unreal. Search instead for unrifl.
Definitions

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.

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

But the characters are expressive, and the medium is used to unreal ends, which is, after all, what cartoons are good for.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 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

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

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

I wondered if there were any unreal Catholic priests.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie