unrealistic

adjective un·re·al·is·tic \ ˌən-ˌrē-ə-ˈli-stik \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Examples: unrealistic in a Sentence

Definition of unrealistic

: not realistic : inappropriate to reality or fact

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unrealistically

play \ˌən-ˌrē-ə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See unrealistic defined for English-language learners

Examples of unrealistic in a Sentence

It's unrealistic to expect so much.
The dialogue in the movie was unrealistic.

Recent Examples of unrealistic from the Web

Gary does fall into the Jabrill Peppers zone of never being able to do enough to appease the unrealistic expectations of some, but he's come awfully close.

— nick baumgardner, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan's defensive line may be outstanding with Rashan Gary as star," 10 June 2018
Finally, duos like the Gainses set unrealistic expectations about what coupledom (especially while renovating a house) should be like.

— kate wagner, Curbed, "We need a new kind of HGTV," 30 May 2018
Experts on North Korea have said for weeks that Trump's belief that Kim would rapidly agree to join that group was unrealistic.

— david lauter, latimes.com, "Five takeaways from Trump's decision to cancel talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un," 24 May 2018
Mattel's iconic plastic doll, whose small waist and long legs have been criticized for creating unrealistic expectations for girls, will be sold with three new bodies — curvy, tall and petite.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, "'Does anyone black work there?' Barbie with blond hair and cornrows sparks controversy | The Kansas City Star," 3 May 2018
Earl, a Vietnam veteran who died in 2006, could be antagonistic in his treatment of the media while also inviting their headlines, saddling his son with unrealistic expectations.

— chris brodeur, courant.com, "Connecticut Authors Team Up For Definitive Biography Of Tiger Woods," 19 Apr. 2018
President Trump’s recent call to reduce opioid prescriptions by one-third over the next three years may seem like a daunting task, even unrealistic.

— richard j. barth, STAT, "Trump wants to reduce opioid prescriptions by one-third. We can start now," 30 Mar. 2018
Ultimately, Zilberstein believes that Google's ambitious original timetable of having a self-driving car available for consumers by 2017 is probably unrealistic.

— carl franzen, Popular Mechanics, "Why Self-Driving Cars Aren't Ready to Share the Road With Humans," 5 Feb. 2015
Too much money can create unrealistic expectations and lead to waste, inefficiency and sloppiness.

— The Economist, "The impact of Masayoshi Son’s $100bn tech fund will be profound," 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unrealistic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of unrealistic

1865

in the meaning defined above

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UNREALISTIC Defined for English Language Learners

unrealistic

adjective

Definition of unrealistic for English Language Learners

: not able to see things as they really are
: based on what is wanted or hoped for rather than on what is possible or likely : not sensible and appropriate
: not showing people and things as they are in real life