unofficial

adjective

un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfi-shəl 

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

The two-time major champion still has a chance to add titles before the end of the year, albeit in unofficial events. —Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025

Cyber Week is the big online shopping period following Black Friday, the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season, and the day after Thanksgiving. —Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Nov. 2025

Marvel famously went through a sort of unofficial ban in China that began in 2019 and went on to be a three-and-a-half year period during which movies featuring Marvel characters did not release there. —Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025

Now, as the French continue efforts for a lasting peace in the region, the president's unofficial envoy is pushing for Paris to play a lead role in the process. —NPR, 22 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unofficial

• artificial
• beneficial
• cicatricial
• interstitial
• nonjudicial
• nonofficial
• prejudicial
• sacrificial
• superficial
• extrajudicial
• semiofficial
• initial

Medical Definition

unofficial

adjective

un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfish-əl 

: not official

specifically : of, relating to, or being a drug not described in the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary compare nonofficial, official