unreal

/ˌʌnˈrɪəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnˈriːəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈrē(-ə)l/ (ame, mw)

unreal — adjective

  • unrealpositive
  • more unrealcomparative
  • most unrealsuperlative

1. so unusual, strange, or artificial that a situation or thing feels like a dream

1.形容詞B2
釋義

so unusual, strange, or artificial that a situation or thing feels like a dream or imagination rather than real life

例句

The landscape was so beautiful and strange that it felt unreal, as if Yumi had stepped into a painting.

feel + unreal for dreamlike experience

Adaeze said the whole conversation was unreal, like a scene from a movie she once watched.

同義詞
  • imaginary

    focuses on something that exists only in the mind, whereas unreal can describe something physically present that seems strange

  • surreal

    stronger emphasis on bizarre, dreamlike quality; more common in artistic or literary contexts

  • dreamlike

    more poetic and positive; specifically suggests the pleasant or mysterious quality of a dream

  • illusory

    formal register; suggests something deceptive that appears real but is not

反義詞
  • real

    the direct opposite; describes what actually exists in life

  • genuine

    focuses on authenticity rather than existence

文法句型

be + unreal

feel/seem/look/sound + unreal

an unreal + noun

用法筆記

This sense can describe both positive strangeness (a beautiful dreamlike scene) and negative artificiality (something fake or unnatural). Context makes the difference clear.

常見錯誤

❌The food tasted unreal — it was burnt and salty.
✅The food tasted awful
💡it was burnt and salty.' — When describing something bad or negative, use a negative adjective instead of 'unreal'. In sense 1, 'unreal' focuses on dreamlike strangeness or artificiality, not simple bad quality.

2. so extremely good, impressive, or surprising that it feels almost too good to be

2.形容詞B2
釋義

so extremely good, impressive, or surprising that it feels almost too good to be true

例句

The party was unreal — there was live music, free food, and fireworks at midnight.

informal usage for enthusiastic praise

Camila said her new job is unreal; she gets to travel to a different country every month.

同義詞
  • incredible

    very similar in meaning and formality; slightly more common in both spoken and written English

  • amazing

    more general and slightly less intense; very widely used in informal contexts

  • fantastic

    warmer and more enthusiastic; often used for enjoyable experiences

  • unbelievable

    can be positive or negative depending on context; less restricted than 'unreal'

反義詞
  • terrible

    direct opposite in the informal-positive sense

  • awful

    direct opposite in the informal-positive sense

  • disappointing

    opposite in terms of emotional expectation

文法句型

be + unreal

absolutely / totally / completely + unreal

It was unreal.

用法筆記

This informal sense is almost always positive. It expresses enthusiastic approval or astonishment, similar to 'incredible' or 'amazing'. Use it in casual conversation rather than formal writing. Never use this sense for negative surprises.

常見錯誤

❌The weather was unreal — it rained for three days.
✅The weather was unreal
💡sunshine and blue skies every single day.' — In informal use, 'unreal' always indicates a strongly positive or astonishingly good experience, not a bad one. For negative surprises, use 'unbelievable' with a negative tone or 'terrible'.