1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
an unreal claim that is distant from the slightest hint of truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
the unreal world of TV sitcoms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unreal
Sadiq is an unreal athlete, and will instantly become an irreplaceable piece of New York’s offense.
—
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
These structures look unreal in two dimensions, as if they were made mostly of air.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Apr. 2026
The world is suddenly too bright, too loud, and slightly unreal.
—Zeba Blay, SELF, 21 Apr. 2026
Hearing that familiar voice echo across the set blurred the line between character and performer in a way that felt almost unreal.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreal
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
These structures look unreal in two dimensions, as if they were made mostly of air.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Apr. 2026
The world is suddenly too bright, too loud, and slightly unreal.
—Zeba Blay, SELF, 21 Apr. 2026
Hearing that familiar voice echo across the set blurred the line between character and performer in a way that felt almost unreal.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreal
Adjective
-
There is always the possibility that something absurd might occur — the equivalent of Neymar’s 2017 move to Paris Saint-Germain, for instance — but that’s extremely unlikely.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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Ironically, the fears of two Republicans advancing were driven by Democratic data vendor Paul Mitchell, who built a prediction machine using absurd inputs like betting odds and polls that cannot account for things like rape allegations.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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Someone needs to tell both Salley and her extraneous E to get the hell off my imaginary husband.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
Katie Dippold shaped the show from its very beginnings by way of her passion for both horror and comedy, Hiro Murai is a quiet artist who carries a big imaginary stick.—
Stephen Root,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
That’s just a really bizarre back and forth to exist in.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
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As the story builds toward a violent showdown between the mourners and the town, the reader will be entranced by its surreal language and bizarre logic.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
However, operators often hide behind fictitious or stolen identities and fail to comply with cease-and-desist letters; meanwhile, hosting servers are often untraceable, shielded by anonymization techniques or by being located in countries where legal enforcement is extremely difficult.—
Emma Woollacott,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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He is charged with one count of unlawful voting by aliens and one count of the procurement, casting, or tabulation of ballots that are known to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent under state law.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
If the target was foolish enough to reuse passwords, credential thefts like these could enable the compromise of more important accounts.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2026
-
Backing the Cubs right now seems foolish.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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Those crews worked on the Country Club Plaza, in a home in Lee’s Summit and around local soccer fields — all on the Missouri side, even though the fictional Coach Lasso hails from Kansas.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
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The show, which follows Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler moving to the fictional South Texas town of Rio Paloma, premiered May 15 and airs Fridays on Paramount+ and the Paramount Network.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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After eighteen months of crisis that saw historic urban fires, harassment by federal immigration authorities, and the generalized anxiety that attends a place where rents are high and services low, public transit inadequate and gas prices insane, the city’s vitality is flagging.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
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Lots of wires, lots of insane stunts.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Today, the municipality doesn’t seem too eager to promote its affinity for the international language (its tourism office tends to focus more on local castles and caves), but Herzberg has achieved near-mythic status among some Esperantists.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
-
Horses, those strange mythical creatures.—
Nielsen Dinwoodie,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreal. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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