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 tradition dates to Glasgow, where placing bright orange traffic cones atop public statues began as a late-night prank in the 1980s before evolving into an unofficial symbol of the country’s irreverent humor. — Leah Willingham, Fortune, 15 July 2026

Robb was not paid by the city for his work and served in an unofficial role providing comments on important issues, including Bass’ involvement in damage control surrounding the 2025 Palisades fire. — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Massive crowds under the Norwegian summer sun filled the grounds of the Royal Palace early on Monday afternoon, with an unofficial turnout estimated at more than 100,000 people. — Reuters, NBC news, 14 July 2026

One of the most notable came from Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist viewed as an unofficial spokesman for Abu Dhabi, who often speaks its explicit stances on topics too sensitive for the government to speak on publicly. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2026

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