adjective
Not real, or seeming not to be real.
The monster in the movie looked unreal.
After the accident, everything felt unreal.
Common phrases & grammar
unreal world · unreal story · unreal feeling
an unreal + noun
[subject] + feel/seem + unreal
American English
How to pronounce unreal
adjectiveB1
uhnREEl
/ənˈɹi.l̩/
3 syllables · Stress the second syllable.
Not real, or seeming not to be real.
What to listen for
You may hear unreal with a short final syllable, /ənˈɹi.l̩/, or with the final L joined to the stressed syllable, /ənˈɹiɫ/. Both are natural American English pronunciations.
With a short final syllable/ənˈɹi.l̩/
With the final L joined to the stressed syllable/ənˈɹiɫ/
Meanings & examples
adjectiveinformal
So good, surprising, or exciting that it is hard to believe.
The view from the top was unreal!
He made an unreal catch in the ninth inning.
Good to know
In informal speech, unreal can mean “incredible,” not “not real.”
Common phrases & grammar
unreal talent · unreal performance · unreal catch
[subject] + be + unreal
adjectiveless common
Not sensible because it does not match real conditions or what is possible.
She has unreal expectations about the job.
They set an unreal deadline for the project.
Good to know
For a plan or deadline that cannot work, unrealistic is usually more natural than unreal.
Common phrases & grammar
unreal expectations · unreal deadline · unreal demands
[subject] + have + unreal expectations