UNREAL Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

unreal

adjective

ˌən-ˈrē(-ə)l

Definition of unreal

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

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

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 unreal Chihuahua, Mexico Spring 1983 Filming out in the Chihuahuan Desert is actually chilly in the morning, but when the sun comes up, the heat is unreal. — Kyle MacLachlan, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026 The creation of that unreal enemy depended on a complex belief structure regulating church congregations, especially their least conforming and most vulnerable members. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 Grabbing a wire-free smart video doorbell with 2K resolution, head-to-toe wide-angle coverage, and two-way talk under $40 is an unreal deal. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026 Her testimony on Wednesday in the case of the American Idol contestant accused of murdering his wife was absolutely unreal. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unreal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unreal

Adjective

This episode notably lacked any nod to Trump, though mentions of the president as a whole have been brief compared to the previous season, when the president was the show’s focal point for absurd antics.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
And Saturday’s win proved that his plan to pursue championships — something that seemed absurd amid a lost 2025 season — has a real possibility of paying off with one.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of absurd

Adjective

The wealth tax opponents have applied the age-old technique of mustering superficially plausible, but largely imaginary, consequences of passage.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
The genre gave him considerably more freedom to invent architectural settings, mixing classical ruins, waterways, and figures into elaborate imaginary landscapes.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of imaginary

Adjective

But at the center of this story is a man named Michael Organ who turns out to be a bizarre, seemingly dangerous conman.

— Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026
Aside from spreading fear and anxiety through the agricultural labor force — which might be the point, if the hope is many will self-deport — the surge is having some other bizarre and probably unintended consequences.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of bizarre

Adjective

The series will be set in a fictitious Barneys in Beverly Hills, not New York, and the real founding family of the retailer, the Pressman family, has no involvement, the spokesperson said.

— Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Dempsey appeared in Disney’s fantasy romance Enchanted (2007) as Robert Philip, a New York divorce lawyer whose orderly life is disrupted by the arrival of a fairy-tale princess (played by Amy Adams) from the fictitious land of Andalasia.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of fictitious

Adjective

Gascón will play Manuela, a teacher in an elite school, and Ituño the the role of Evita, the personal secretary to the prime minister of the series’ fictional country.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The series takes place during the fictional two-term Democratic administration of President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fictional

Adjective

First and foremost, as a homeowner myself the property taxes are insane and continue to go up.

— Stephen Korka, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
That may be the name of her next album, but Venus’ insane popularity also speaks to the way Metropia is moving forward, constantly looking for the next shiny thing.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of insane

Adjective

Waller is one of the NFL’s few mythical figures — one whose story precedes his stats, whose name supersedes his acclaim.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
With the season’s final two episodes not provided to critics, there’s no way to say yet whether The Lowdown achieves that mythical outcome of all mystery seasons, the Finale That Pulls It All Together.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of mythical

Browse Nearby Words

unready

unreal

unrealistic

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“Unreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unreal. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unreal

adjective

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