unreal
Existing only mentally
Unreal describes something that seems impossible, dreamlike, or too extraordinary to exist: The northern lights were unreal.
It can mean literally not real—imaginary or illusory—but more often expresses amazement at something that defies expectation: The traffic was unreal, Her talent is unreal.
In casual speech, unreal is pure emphasis, synonymous with incredible or amazing.
Imaginative mental wandering
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- fictitiousNot real, invented
- mythicalOf folklore, not fact
- make-believeImaginative play or fantasy
invented · imagined · figment · chimera · fabled · legendary · hallucinatory · apparition
Fraudulent imitation
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- bogusCounterfeit or fraudulent
- shamFraudulent imitation
- fraudulentInvolving intentional dishonesty
spurious · imitation · ersatz · pseudo · fabricated · forged · inauthentic · feigned
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- surrealDreamlike and strange
- hallucinatorySeeming falsely perceived
- phantasmagoricBizarrely dreamlike and shifting
- illusoryFalsely appearing to exist
otherworldly · fantastical · hazy · misty · fleeting · transient · ephemeral · insubstantial
Spanish surrealist painter
- MagritteBelgian surrealist painter
- EscherDutch impossible-geometry artist
- KafkaesqueOppressively absurd and labyrinthine
- absurdistBeliever in cosmic meaninglessness
bizarre · grotesque · distorted · metamorphic · disjointed · irrational · incongruous · juxtaposed
Impossible to accept as true
- astonishingCausing great wonder
- mind-blowingOverwhelmingly impressive or shocking
- phenomenalExceptionally impressive or unusual
- extraordinaryBeyond what's typical
astounding · staggering · jaw-dropping · inconceivable · implausible · amazing · shocking · stunning
Of discrete data
- simulatedMade to imitate reality
- computer-generatedMade by machines, not humans
- CGIDigital movie imagery
- VRSimulated immersive environment
augmented · holographic · 3D · avatar · cyberspace · online · gaming · rendered
Beyond scientific explanation
- ghostlyResembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- eerieDisturbingly strange
- uncannyEerily beyond normal
haunted · otherworldly · mystical · occult · apparitional · phantasmal · inexplicable · spooky
fantasy
Imaginative mental wandering
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- fictitiousNot real, invented
- mythicalOf folklore, not fact
make-believe · invented · imagined · figment · chimera · fabled · legendary · hallucinatory · apparition · mirage
counterfeit
Fraudulent imitation
fraudulent · spurious · imitation · ersatz · pseudo · fabricated · forged · inauthentic · feigned · pretend
ethereal
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- surrealDreamlike and strange
- hallucinatorySeeming falsely perceived
- phantasmagoricBizarrely dreamlike and shifting
illusory · otherworldly · fantastical · hazy · misty · fleeting · transient · ephemeral · insubstantial · shadowy
Dalí
Spanish surrealist painter
- MagritteBelgian surrealist painter
- EscherDutch impossible-geometry artist
- KafkaesqueOppressively absurd and labyrinthine
absurdist · bizarre · grotesque · distorted · metamorphic · disjointed · irrational · incongruous · juxtaposed · melting
unbelievable
Impossible to accept as true
- astonishingCausing great wonder
- mind-blowingOverwhelmingly impressive or shocking
- phenomenalExceptionally impressive or unusual
extraordinary · astounding · staggering · jaw-dropping · inconceivable · implausible · amazing · shocking · stunning · breathtaking
digital
Of discrete data
- simulatedMade to imitate reality
- computer-generatedMade by machines, not humans
- CGIDigital movie imagery
VR · augmented · holographic · 3D · avatar · cyberspace · online · gaming · rendered · artificial
paranormal
Beyond scientific explanation
uncanny · haunted · otherworldly · mystical · occult · apparitional · phantasmal · inexplicable · spooky · creepy
- unreal thingsillusion, delusion, fantasy, fiction, imaginary
- imaginary stylesimaginary, fantasy, fantastical, dreamlike, dreamy
- fantasywizard, witch, magic, dragon, elf
- U-wordsugly, ultimate, ultra, umbrella, unable
- unbelievableunbelievable, incredible, inconceivable, implausible, unthinkable
- illusionsmirage, optical illusion, hallucination, illusion, afterimage
unrealrealistic
True to life
believable · convincing · plausible · reasonable · credible
- unrealized potential
- unreasonable searchInvestigation lacking legal authorization
- unreserved seatUnassigned place to sit
- unresponsive screenDisplay ignoring all input
unrelated, unrealistic, unreasonable, unreadable, unresponsive, unreserved, unrestrained, unreasonably, unrealized