unofficial

adjective

Synonyms of unofficialnext
: 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.
As of late Saturday afternoon, nearly 800,000 early voters had cast in-person ballots across Georgia, including more than 86,000 on Saturday, according to the state’s unofficial online turnout tracker. — Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 17 Oct. 2026 The Netflix honcho had met with HBO chief Casey Bloys multiple times this year, including a very public one at Superba, the airy restaurant on Sunset near the Netflix offices that also serves as the streamer’s unofficial commissary. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 Haugsjaa and Forgan pulled off rare feats by claiming titles in both singles and doubles races at USA Luge's national start championships, which are considered the unofficial start of the team's competitive season. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 From shredding the slopes in the winter to floating on the water in the summer, the unofficial capital of the Sierra Nevada sees outdoorsy travelers constantly flocking to its campsites and cabins. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026 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 21 Oct. 2026.

Medical Definition

unofficial

adjective
: 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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster