UNREALISTIC Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

unrealistic

adjective

Definition of unrealistic

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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Dissimilar Words

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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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unrealistic Burnham estimated that the same strategy for 114 would cost perhaps $100 million or more, making such a blunt approach unrealistic. — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026 The problem is, we’re conditioned to expect something totally unrealistic. — Alicja Turczyk, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026 Messaging becomes unclear; expectations become unrealistic; and confidence begins to erode. — Ramesh Tambe, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026 The Dotcom Bubble burst was because of a multitude of reasons, mostly unrealistic valuations for many tech businesses earning zero profits. — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unrealistic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic

Adjective

One woman who grew up in China during Mao's Cultural Revolution is not only pushing back against her home country's reaction, but also calling out how blatantly ridiculous the situation is.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
The game includes a ridiculous campaign centered around a new Korean civil war.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of ridiculous

Adjective

On the surface, paying as low as 24 cents for an hour of streaming game time doesn’t sound completely unreasonable.

— Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
If Putin rejects the framework — or, more likely, demands unreasonable changes — then the world will at least know who blocked the fledgling peace effort.

— David Ignatius, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of unreasonable

Adjective

Giving any person a $100 million contract to coach a college athletic team is irrational.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
The industrial revolutions of the past produced enormous value alongside bankruptcies, dislocations, and periods of irrational exuberance.

— Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of irrational

Adjective

Achieving incredible data transmission speed The researcher fabricated the device using a 300-millimeter silicon-on-insulator manufacturing process.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
This year’s incredible class of awardees includes Jason Bolden, Kellon Deryck, Molly Greenwald, Chris Horan, Amy Komorowski, Thuy Nguyen, Law Roach, and Trish Summerville.

— InStyle, InStyle, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of incredible

Adjective

Also, many families of rare disease patients spend years creating databases, known as natural history studies, so they can be used as control groups in trials instead of giving patients a placebo, which is often impractical and unethical.

— Gerry Smith, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Texas law requires elementary schools to provide at least 30 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which can be cut to 27 minutes per day if scheduling makes the full amount impractical.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of impractical

Adjective

The Wu-Tang Clan's mastermind has carved out a second career directing mid-level action flicks, and last year's One Spoon of Chocolate is a solid if silly movie.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Most phone apps look silly this way, especially those still running as standard iPhone apps, which look normal but with lots of black padding on either side.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of silly

Adjective

Key Takeaways These artificial channels are up to five times more selective for lithium, offering a simpler way to extract the critical battery material.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Stocks in the artificial-intelligence industry led Wall Street higher on Tuesday, as their yo-yo moves swing back upward.

— Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of artificial

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unreal

unrealistic

unrealities

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“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unrealistic

adjective

Example Sentences

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