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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Recent Examples of surreal
The dramatic landscape framed by the soaring San Juan Mountains makes for a cinematic, surreal backdrop for summer events, from open-air film screenings and art walks to live music and weekly markets.
—
AFAR Media, 26 June 2025
Premiere | Maya’s days working at a small shop take a surreal turn when her boss makes a bombshell revelation.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
By Robert Kagan The current debate over bombing Iran is surreal.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 21 June 2025
Each puzzle piece features a surreal image, difficult to decipher.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surreal
AFAR Media, 26 June 2025
Premiere | Maya’s days working at a small shop take a surreal turn when her boss makes a bombshell revelation.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
By Robert Kagan The current debate over bombing Iran is surreal.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 21 June 2025
Each puzzle piece features a surreal image, difficult to decipher.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for surreal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surreal
Adjective
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So watch for seemingly irrational behavior and erratic tactical moves, as leadership is unafraid to confuse customers and take outsized capital risks.—
Forrester,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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As Reva relates the stories of her three main characters—including one whose true passion is snail conservation—her novel hums with bruised faith in the irrational power of hope, whether for peace, love, endangered species, or familial reconciliation.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Sometimes your audio is all screwed up and echoing, there are weird pauses everywhere, and nothing interesting gets said.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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People talk about uncanny valley in terms of the look of these robots – there’s kind of a weird uncanny valley thing going on as well with AI artwork.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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The night before the baby junco landed in the research team’s net, a strange, shifting light filtered through the forest, not far from where the Long Trail, Vermont’s end-to-end hiking route, traverses the Mount Mansfield ridgeline.—
Madeline Bodin,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
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This film is set entirely inside a taxi cab that Panahi is driving around Tehran, as different people drift in and out of his car with their own strange and very personal dramas.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The Biden-era Justice Department, Washington, D.C., and six states sued in 2021, arguing the alliance violates Section 1 of the Sherman Act, a federal antitrust law that prohibits unreasonable restraints on competition.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
30 June 2025
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Expectations for Jade are borderline unreasonable, and patience is a virtue in WWE as evidenced by all the times Karrion Kross was allowed to fall on his face for years before finally finding his voice.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Rich and influential adults enjoyed Lear’s company, but Lear himself preferred making mischief for children, telling absurd stories and drawing impossible creatures.—
Caroline Carlson
June 30,
Literary Hub,
30 June 2025
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Traditionally, a show truck of this caliber would be fitted with an absurd array of chrome lightbars, air horns and blingy accessories but that would be counterintuitive to the vehicle’s mission.—
Trinity Francis,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Thanks to the rapid ascension of brands like Ganni and Saks Potts in recent years, Danish fashion has become a global sensation with its unusual silhouettes, playful colors and patterns, and effortless, bike-ready vibe.—
Stephanie Sporn,
Vogue,
1 July 2025
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There was an unusual silence surrounding Sacramento’s apparent acquisition of Dennis Schroder on Monday after the Kings reportedly reached an agreement with the free agent point guard.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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The most likely candidates for an add would be the 2024 seventh-round pick Hanson or Driskell, but neither had an offensive snap last season outside of the team’s meaningless week 18 game against Denver.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 July 2025
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Choose one, and land in a place that reduces the number of meaningless games for a conference that plays more Group of Five and FCS cupcakes than any other Power Four league.—
Blake Toppmeyer,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surreal. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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