1
as in ridiculous
not likely to occur in the real world
The movie's unrealistic dialogue kept distracting me from the story.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unreasonable
based on what is wanted or hoped for rather than on what is possible or likely
He had unrealistic expectations about the type of apartment he could afford on his meager salary. The valuation placed on this company is completely unrealistic.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unrealistic
Every year, thousands of product vendors, journalists, and gadget enthusiasts gather in an unreasonable city to gawk at mostly unrealistic products.
—
Ars Technica, 11 Jan. 2025
This is especially true in your professional life — be wary of putting too much stock in unrealistic expectations or promises that aren’t necessarily authentic.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
There may be a natural limit to tenure in a democracy, and expecting any more is unrealistic.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
While many blame a lack of time or unrealistic expectations and demands, a significant factor is often overlooked: the people around you.
—Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unrealistic 
Ars Technica, 11 Jan. 2025
This is especially true in your professional life — be wary of putting too much stock in unrealistic expectations or promises that aren’t necessarily authentic.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
There may be a natural limit to tenure in a democracy, and expecting any more is unrealistic.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
While many blame a lack of time or unrealistic expectations and demands, a significant factor is often overlooked: the people around you.
—Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unrealistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic
Adjective
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Saquon Barkley put up more ridiculous numbers in the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC Championship victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, leading to jabs at the New York Giants.—
Ryan Gaydos,
Fox News,
27 Jan. 2025
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Because 7½ minutes of real time to play 20 seconds of basketball is beyond ridiculous.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Reddit Reacts Reddit users supported OP, pointing out the unreasonable nature of the neighbor's behavior.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
24 Jan. 2025
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The Supreme Court weighed Monday whether courts should examine everything that happened during the traffic stop or just the split seconds when the officer feared for his safety in deciding whether the officer can be tried for unreasonable force.—
Ella Lee,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Lions, after an incredible 15-2 regular season, couldn’t overcome massive injuries to their defense that coordinator Aaron Glenn, another hot coaching candidate, somehow managed as the year wore on.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Jan. 2025
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The Iowa product laid out and brought in an incredible one-handed grab for the score to put Detroit in front 14-10.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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There were some generational differences in regard to the reasons driving irrational purchases.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
WWD,
27 Jan. 2025
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The author suggests that large crowds can be made irrational, often due to charismatic leadership, and shows how most people choose to go with the grain. Group decisions can also reduce a sense of personal accountability as people find solidarity in what the masses want.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Ironically, its only real payoff is its surreal magnitude of Drake-centricity (down to casting a look-alike), which largely ends up being absurd and hilarious thanks to events entirely outside of the film’s purview.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2025
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Courts should continue to quickly reject his absurd, insulting, and ahistorical legal arguments, which violate the clear text of the 14th Amendment.—
Elizabeth Wydra and Nina Henry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Developing advanced tools entirely in-house is often impractical for financial institutions.—
Rahim Harji,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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On top of that, Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, which may serve as a looming — albeit impractical — deadline for recovery.—
Denise Chow,
NBC News,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Why is red 40 banned? California became the first state in the U.S. to enact a ban red 40 in September, when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that will prohibit schools from serving foods containing six artificial food dyes, including red 40.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA TODAY,
21 Jan. 2025
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Throughout Trump’s long history of cashing in on his personal brand, there has never been such a dramatic injection of artificial value.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Discussing Oscar voters in the context of the American electorate has always struck me as a little silly.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Jan. 2025
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Here’s the thing: the three guys were totally down, but convincing Queen Bey to get super silly with them was going to be another matter entirely.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
28 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near unrealistic
Cite this Entry
“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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