Unreal
/ʌnˈriːəl/
Definitions
2 meaningsNot real or genuine; imaginary or illusory.
/ʌnˈriːəl/
Not actual; not existing in the real world.
The whole situation felt unreal, like a dream.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're watching a movie, and the special effects are so good, they make you feel like what's happening isn't actually real. That feeling is 'unreal'. It's like something is not truly happening or existing.
👶 For kids: Not real! Like a pretend game, or something you dream about.
More Examples
The landscape in the painting was so beautiful it seemed unreal.
The sudden victory was so unexpected it felt unreal.
How It's Used
"The events in the dream felt unreal."
"The author created an unreal world filled with magic."
(informal) Extraordinary; remarkable; impressive to an extreme degree.
/ʌnˈriːəl/
Seemingly impossible or unbelievable.
The concert was unreal; the music and atmosphere were incredible.
💡 Simply: When something is so good or amazing that it's hard to believe, we say it's unreal. Like seeing a fantastic performance or a stunning view – it's so incredible it seems almost too good to be true.
👶 For kids: When something is super cool or awesome, like a magic trick!
More Examples
Her talent for art is unreal, she creates the most stunning pieces.
The speed of the new sports car is unreal!
How It's Used
"The basketball player's performance was unreal; he scored a record number of points."
"The scenery on the trip was unreal; it was incredibly beautiful."
Synonyms
Artificial
Fabricated
Fantastic
Fictional
Hypothetical
Imaginary
Simulated
Amazing
Extraordinary
Incredible
Marvelous
Phenomenal
Remarkable
Unbelievable
Unmatched
Antonyms
Actual
Authentic
Genuine
Real
True
Average
Common
Mediocre
Ordinary
Idioms & expressions
Unreal Engine
A popular and powerful game engine used for creating realistic and immersive video games and other interactive experiences.
"Many modern games are created using Unreal Engine."
From *un-* (not) + *real* (from Old French *reial* 'royal, real', ultimately from Latin *reālis* 'real').
The word 'unreal' has been in use since the 17th century, developing from its basic meaning of 'not real'. It gained usage in describing extraordinary or remarkable things in the 20th century.
Memory tip
Think of 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'real'. So, unreal means not real!