unofficial

adjective

un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfi-shəl 

 also  -ō-

: not authorized or acknowledged by a government, group, class, or society : not official

unofficial results

an unofficial policy

unofficially adverb

Examples of unofficial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Consider this medley the unofficial start to the 2025 promo tour for Wicked: For Good, which will release in theaters on Nov. 21 and realize the second half of director Jon M. Chu's musical adaptation on the big screen. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025

Livvy Dunne is the — unofficial — queen of Mardi Gras. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025

Taiwan has been a longtime close partner of the United States and while the U.S. doesn’t recognize Taiwan officially, the two countries have a robust unofficial relationship. —Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Or the collective joy upon witnessing Border Collie Messi, who took home the unofficial Palme Dog award in Cannes for his performance as Snoop in last year’s Anatomy of a Fall, wave from his seat in a bow tie? —Liam Hess, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unofficial

• artificial
• beneficial
• cicatricial
• interstitial
• nonjudicial
• nonofficial
• prejudicial
• sacrificial
• superficial
• extrajudicial
• semiofficial
• initial

Medical Definition

unofficial

adjective

un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfish-əl 

: not official

specifically : of, relating to, or being a drug not described in the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary compare nonofficial, official