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

The local event started seven years ago when Sven Davies and a few of his friends held an unofficial ride to the city’s downtown. —Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

Berkowitz repeated the strategy in South Beach a decade later with the opening of the Fifth & Alton retail center on Fifth Street, creating the unofficial entrance to South Beach for drivers on the MacArthur Causeway. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

The marketing campaign for Mandalorian and Grogu will go into overdrive on May the 4th, the unofficial Star Wars holiday. —Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026

ARTnews sat down with Natalia Kaliada and Daniella Kaliada to discuss the upcoming exhibition, the difference between official and unofficial representation at the Biennale, and how the context of the Theatre’s work has changed, as more countries’ governments turn authoritarian and repressive. —Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 29 Apr. 2026

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