1
as in ridiculous
not likely to occur in the real world
The movie's unrealistic dialogue kept distracting me from the story.
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2
as in unreasonable
based on what is wanted or hoped for rather than on what is possible or likely
He had unrealistic expectations about the type of apartment he could afford on his meager salary. The valuation placed on this company is completely unrealistic.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unrealistic
The timeline seemed unrealistic.
—
Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Of particular concern was the possibility that the council would set unrealistic expectations for how the city could protect the public from federal agents.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
But perhaps that’s part of James’ point — that body expectations for women are so unrealistic that many, like Hana, are driven to starvation and self-loathing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Restaurant owners disheartened, but still optimistic about future While the Mohammads broke their usual public silence on divisive issues to promote immigration organizations, Rachel noted Friday's boycott may have presented an unrealistic goal for restaurants.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Of particular concern was the possibility that the council would set unrealistic expectations for how the city could protect the public from federal agents.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
But perhaps that’s part of James’ point — that body expectations for women are so unrealistic that many, like Hana, are driven to starvation and self-loathing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Restaurant owners disheartened, but still optimistic about future While the Mohammads broke their usual public silence on divisive issues to promote immigration organizations, Rachel noted Friday's boycott may have presented an unrealistic goal for restaurants.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic
Adjective
-
My child comes home from her other parent’s house with stories that sound absolutely ridiculous.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
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The sheer display of athleticism and creativity of a dunk with zero props or especially push-offs will always impress me more than someone who pushes off, even seeing just how ridiculous and difficult that dunk is.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There are people who desire to drastically improve the health of our ecosystems who unknowingly struggle with unreasonable expectations.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
14 Feb. 2026
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Amid those pressures, many people turn to the comfort of a pet – but the expectations for what dogs can bring to our lives are becoming increasingly unreasonable.—
Margret Grebowicz,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Straight men, in particular, are only talked about, kept in the background, or appearing as authority figures trying to uphold absurd laws and traditions.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Pepsi’s chart is absurd and someone’s going to look stupid when the momentum fades.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Away from the irrational exuberance, there are still sensible investments to be made.—
Mikael Johnsson,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
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The move would be both economically irrational and morally obtuse.—
Ruth Jean-Marie,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Humans have always made incredible sacrifices for ambition.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
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There’s also some incredible concert footage to boot.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Along with complaints about the building’s size, the Geffen Galleries’ heavy use of concrete had been criticized as an impractical choice for hanging art.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Erdoğan’s speeches are full of practical advice about how to destroy the left, such as calling progressives lazy, impractical alcoholics funded by globalist lobbies and contrasting the efficiency of an imperial president with the messiness of parliamentary policymaking.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Don’t feel silly asking at the ski shop.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
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Walker offers this diagnosis himself, leeringly dismissing Pearl as a silly mommy, awash with hormones, mildly and minorly hysterical.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This cake requires a fine balance of enough food dye for a vibrant interior without making the cake taste artificial.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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Its co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei has promised a clearer focus on the safety of the better-than-human technology called artificial general intelligence that both San Francisco firms aimed to build.—
Matt O'Brien,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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