1
as in absurd
conceived or made without regard for reason or reality
an unreal claim that is distant from the slightest hint of truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
the unreal world of TV sitcoms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unreal
Hearing that familiar voice echo across the set blurred the line between character and performer in a way that felt almost unreal.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
The other key hallmark of Dark Star is its unreal speed—Magnée is off the charts with some tempos coming in at a death rattle of 240 bpms.
—Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
This and the other two villas are truly unreal.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
Which brings me to … After seeing that unreal UConn-Duke ending, what are your top five postseason college football endings?
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreal
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
The other key hallmark of Dark Star is its unreal speed—Magnée is off the charts with some tempos coming in at a death rattle of 240 bpms.
—Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
This and the other two villas are truly unreal.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
Which brings me to … After seeing that unreal UConn-Duke ending, what are your top five postseason college football endings?
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unreal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreal
Adjective
-
That’s easier to accomplish the further the plot moves away from a diplomatic incident involving several national institutions and toward an occasionally absurd — but absorbing and well-paced — tale of individuals in over their heads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
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The attempt by right-wing activists to use the collapse of Spirit Airlines as a cudgel against the Democrats is ironic and absurd.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Footnotes and excerpts from imaginary texts add to the story’s worldbuilding and its charm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
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The takeaway isn’t that morning anxiety is imaginary.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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La beauté bizarre of the Lobster Boy is decadent.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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Fabianne Therese plays a young woman on a hike in the woods with her boyfriend (Seann William Scott) who runs afoul of a bizarre, imposing figure (pro wrestler Max the Impaler) with a porcelain doll mask intent on raising her as a child.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
First, Jones submitted fraudulent expense reimbursement requests for fictitious business expenses.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Investigators say the monthly payroll expenses and the number of employees were fictitious and that the documents used to support the monthly income for the companies were false.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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When a Republican says something foolish, network anchors react like a gator just crawled into the studio wearing a MAGA hat.—
Larry Clifton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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If Florida is worried about China’s rise, dismantling educational and cultural exchanges is a foolish response.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The novel follows an elderly British couple, Axl and Beatrice, living in a fictional post-Arthurian England in which no one is able to retain long-term memories.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
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The actor couldn’t have been further from the halls of a fictional hospital.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Each progressive Trolls movie has gotten more and more insane.—
Marah Eakin,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
To have air traffic controllers or the Transportation Security Administration to go without pay is insane and prejudicial to public safety.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Their stories live on in Sardinian lore with an almost mythical quality, the brigands admired for their intractability.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
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Komodo dragons were nearly mythical creatures until the first detailed field study was conducted by Walter Auffenberg in the late 1960s.—
Craig Stanford,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreal. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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