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
But even those valuations look extremely unrealistic, not least because of the additional financial burden that their wages would bring.
—
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 5 July 2025
Expanding or finishing the subway is sadly unrealistic at this time given its cost.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 4 July 2025
Occurring approximately every 40 to 42 years, Neptune square urges us to understand situations on a deeper level and believe in things that may be unrealistic.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 3 July 2025
Expecting Iranians to rise up during Israel’s bombing campaign was, at best, unrealistic.
—Roya Boroumand, Time, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 5 July 2025
Expanding or finishing the subway is sadly unrealistic at this time given its cost.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 4 July 2025
Occurring approximately every 40 to 42 years, Neptune square urges us to understand situations on a deeper level and believe in things that may be unrealistic.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 3 July 2025
Expecting Iranians to rise up during Israel’s bombing campaign was, at best, unrealistic.
—Roya Boroumand, Time, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic
Adjective
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The dances don’t settle for a twist or strut when a full-bodied vibration is possible, and Easley has a penchant for that ridiculous bobbin-head chicken dance from the ‘40s or ‘50s.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
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The administration had tried to argue that the plaintiffs had no standing given that the children were not born yet a ridiculous claim given that the effects would apply immediately at the moment of their birth.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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In making arrests, the federal government allegedly went against both immigration laws and the Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, the plaintiffs argue.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Medical device safety alert: issued in situations where a medical device may present an unreasonable risk of substantial harm.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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It’s been an incredible year for gaming in just the first six months, with the release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (93), Blue Prince (92), Split Fiction (91) and Death Stranding 2 (89).—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Every day on set is a gift thanks to the dedication, talent, and friendship of our incredible cast and crew.—
Mekishana Pierre Published,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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In the case of mania, a mental health symptom where patients experience irrational self-belief and happiness, models responded correctly 80% of the time.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
13 July 2025
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This tracks with an observation made by the journalist David Epstein, who writes in Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World that athletes from tiny towns have irrational levels of success.—
Henry Abbott,
The Atlantic,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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The French super powerhouse has taken teams part since winning the UEFA Champions League crown on May 24, outscoring its foes by an absurd 21-1 margin.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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From the vantage point of 2025, this appears as absurd as suggesting that women’s soccer matches should be 70 minutes instead of 90, the same as in the men’s game.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Aside from being impractical, the new importation strategy would leave America’s drug supply vulnerable to dangerous counterfeit medicines from abroad.—
Sally C. Pipes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
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However, for many travelers who take only one or two flights a year, that's impractical advice.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Subscribe now Like other experts whom CNBC spoke to, Raghunathan established market manipulation as deliberately misleading or influencing prices and trading volumes to create artificial trends or unfair advantages, such as pump-and-dump schemes and wash trading.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
18 July 2025
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The formula delivers the classic Coca-Cola taste that Americans are familiar with domestically. Kennedy Jr. has pushed food manufacturers to phase out artificial food dyes from American products as well as reduce sugar levels.—
Mandy Taheri
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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This perky, self-aware, sarcastic and downright silly show caters to both the more traditional Goodspeed audiences.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
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Green Lantern is earnest and bright and, yeah, incredibly silly and a little embarrassing.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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