Meaning of unreal in English

1. Pronunciation

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1. Qualitative Adjective

   unreal

   Definitions

   1. lacking in reality or substance or genuineness

   Examples

   • « not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria »
   • « ghosts and other unreal entities »
   • « unreal propaganda serving as news »

   Synonyms

   • dreamed(a)
   • envisioned
   • pictured
   • visualized
   • visualised
   • eye-deceiving
   • trompe-l'oeil(a)
   • fabled
   • legendary
   • fabricated
   • fancied
   • fictional
   • fictitious
   • invented
   • made-up
   • fabulous
   • mythic
   • mythical
   • mythologic
   • mythological
   • fanciful
   • imaginary
   • imagined
   • notional
   • fantastic
   • fantastical
   • hallucinatory
   • illusional
   • illusionary
   • illusive
   • illusory
   • make-believe
   • pretend

   Antonyms

   • real
   • existent
2. 2. not actually such

   Examples

   • « being or seeming fanciful or imaginary »
   • « this conversation is getting more and more unreal »
   • « the fantastically unreal world of government bureaucracy »
   • « the unreal world of advertising art »

   Synonyms

   • deceptive
   • delusory
   • dreamlike
   • surreal
   • phantom

   Antonyms

   • real(a)
3. 3. contrived by art rather than nature

   Examples

   • « artificial flowers »
   • « artificial flavoring »
   • « an artificial diamond »
   • « artificial fibers »
   • « artificial sweeteners »

   Synonyms

   • arranged
   • staged
   • bionic
   • bleached
   • colored
   • coloured
   • dyed
   • celluloid
   • synthetic
   • conventionalized
   • conventionalised
   • stylized
   • stylised
   • dummy
   • ersatz
   • substitute
   • factitious
   • fake
   • false
   • faux
   • imitation
   • simulated
   • man-made
   • semisynthetic
   • synthetic
   • near
   • painted
   • cardboard
   • unlifelike

   Antonyms

   • natural
4. 4. lacking material form or substance

   Examples

   • « unreal »
   • « as insubstantial as a dream »
   • « an insubstantial mirage on the horizon »

   Synonyms

   • aeriform
   • aerial
   • airy
   • aery
   • ethereal
   • paper
   • shadowy
   • wraithlike

   Antonyms

   • substantial
   • real
   • material

See also

• immaterial