English · Word Candidate

unreal

/ʌnˈɹi.əl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Not real or substantial; having no actual presence in reality; lacking the characteristics of reality.

Adjective

Examples

The word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it. A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse. By Jove! I’ve never seen anything so unreal in my life.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

very impressive; amazing; unbelievable; incredible; larger or more fantastic than typical of real life.

AdjectiveRegister: informal

Examples

The video includes unreal footage of an eight-metre wave.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “unreal” mean?

Not real or substantial; having no actual presence in reality; lacking the characteristics of reality.

Is “unreal” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.