unofficial

adjective

un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfi-shəl How to pronounce unofficial (audio)
 also  -ō-
: not authorized or acknowledged by a government, group, class, or society : not official
unofficial results
an unofficial policy
unofficially adverb

Examples of unofficial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The local Board of Elections will announce unofficial, first-choice-only votes after the polls close at 9 pm ET on June 24. Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 19 June 2025 From the end-user's perspective, official and unofficial information shared online has been shown to affect decision-making regarding protective actions, including the actions taken and when they are taken, said Silver. Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un's grandfather and the country's founder, prioritized the development of this munitions industry as part of a dual policy of economic defense and growth, fueling the rise of the second economy, or an unofficial military economy. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025 The latest move by Taiwan underscores its government’s active approach in working with the US – its largest unofficial partner – to plug any loopholes in tech restrictions against Beijing. John Liu, CNN Money, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for unofficial

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unofficial was in 1784

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unofficial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unofficial. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

unofficial

adjective
un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfish-əl How to pronounce unofficial (audio)
: not official
specifically : of, relating to, or being a drug not described in the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary compare nonofficial, official

More from Merriam-Webster on unofficial

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