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

Despite some unofficial digging in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the site was largely forgotten until recently. —Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025

Much like Bonnaroo symbolizing the beginning of summer, Pilgrimage has staked its claim as the unofficial start of fall in Middle Tennessee. —Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2025

Since its founding in 1994, The Armory Show has been a cornerstone of New York’s calendar, marking the unofficial start of the fall art season and offering a global platform for contemporary and modern art. —Okla Jones, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025

The wives of Ryder Cup players have been an unofficial part of the event for more than 75 years. —Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 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