as in irrational
very strange or unusual; having the quality of a dream
a surreal atmosphere at the festival The whole situation was completely surreal.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of surreal
The programs in the series were created in a collaboration with performance artists, and resulted in a group of surreal experimental works that pushed the boundaries of sound and narrative well in advance of the digital era.
—
Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
The painter incorporates surreal imagery in the short film to signify the gaps between life and death, body and spirit, and decay and renewal.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2025
Few properties manage to be both storybook and slightly surreal—but Seaton Place Farm, a 200-year-old estate in Virginia’s Hunt Country, pulls it off.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2025
Parker has famously included a backstage toilet feed on tour to give fans a surreal behind-the-scenes moment mid-set.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surreal
Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
The painter incorporates surreal imagery in the short film to signify the gaps between life and death, body and spirit, and decay and renewal.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2025
Few properties manage to be both storybook and slightly surreal—but Seaton Place Farm, a 200-year-old estate in Virginia’s Hunt Country, pulls it off.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2025
Parker has famously included a backstage toilet feed on tour to give fans a surreal behind-the-scenes moment mid-set.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surreal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surreal
Adjective
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Satire is brilliant for exposing the folly of humans, especially those in power and those working in bad faith—the hypocrites and the frauds—and can be particularly potent when set in irrational or dystopic times.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
But why are these fears irrational?—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Our weird mayor finds ways to stay busy—too busy to call the mayor-elect and say congrats, apparently.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Josh is so great with coming up with different chords and weird chords.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But then something strange happened.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
This addictive, loping track is one of the best and strangest songs from the artist’s fifth album.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Officers are able to use loitering laws as general warrants to circumvent individuals’ constitutional right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizures, Wood said.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Nov. 2025
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The class counsel has argued that objectors are raising either points that were already decided, inappropriate for this forum, or unreasonable to address.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The combination of absurd temperatures, damp humidity, and having my hair stick to my neck daily was driving me insane.—
Kayla Greaves,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
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Plus, who doesn’t love Nick Offerman sharing the screen with absurd facial hair?—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This translation by Nancy Naomi Carlson preserves the rich musicality of the original French, as well as its frequent use of wordplay and often unusual word choice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Ostrich Leather Recognizable by its distinctive quill pattern and supple texture, ostrich leather combines durability with an unusual kind of beauty.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Without the artist, the law becomes meaningless.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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On Saturday, a group of Texas A&M fans gathered in a hole in the LSU student section and did some of LSU’s cheers after the Tigers scored a meaningless touchdown in the final moments.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Let sound political prescience but take the place of an unreasoning prejudice, and this will be done.—
Frederick Douglass,
The Atlantic,
16 Aug. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Surreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surreal. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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