1
as in ridiculous
not likely to occur in the real world
The movie's unrealistic dialogue kept distracting me from the story.
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unrealistic
There’s a not-unrealistic chance that Mendoza will become better than average.
—
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
Cognitive science tells us that this expectation is unrealistic.
—Jay Gardiner, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
This isn't an unrealistic scenario, given that US and Iranian demands remain fairly wide apart.
—Lee Ying Shan,christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
On Reddit, some women complained that the idea that Peet's character was just learning about perimenopause now was unrealistic.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
Cognitive science tells us that this expectation is unrealistic.
—Jay Gardiner, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
This isn't an unrealistic scenario, given that US and Iranian demands remain fairly wide apart.
—Lee Ying Shan,christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
On Reddit, some women complained that the idea that Peet's character was just learning about perimenopause now was unrealistic.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic
Adjective
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In the annals of English football, this shoots close to the top of the list of ridiculous moments, along with Troy Deeney’s mad goal for Watford in the Championship play-offs in 2013 and Sergio Aguero’s Premier League title-winning strike for Manchester City in 2012.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The ridiculous Ballroom lawsuit, brought by a woman walking her dog, who has absolutely No Standing to bring such a suit, must be dropped, immediately.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Sibrian then retaliated against Soto for her claims by reducing her hourly wage, assigning unreasonable workloads and changing her schedule, according to the lawsuit.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
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If these requirements are not met, the search is unreasonable and therefore unlawful, and evidence obtained in that search cannot be used in court, barring a good-faith exception.—
Anne Toomey McKenna,
The Conversation,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Still absurd to the average person, but a far cry from what Biles paid.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
As paranoia festers and absurd regulations tighten their grip, suspicion replaces love, and truth itself begins to warp.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Surveys show a 50-50 divide, but Trump’s real base is his same irrational 30%.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
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Letting Jinx stay is yet another act of irrational love from Margo.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Spurs led by as much as 20 in the fourth quarter, which is an incredible turnaround.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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No, that stuff is all incredible and very much the result of good fortune in my career.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Scientists typically test candidates one by one, making large-scale discovery impractical.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
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And it’s set in a snowy wintertime, which would have been impractical and expensive in live action, but pays all kinds of benefits in terms of staging and mood.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Not bad for a silly movie about killer worms from outer space.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
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The idea seemed silly at first — who would be interested in a bean box subscription?—
Angela Osorio,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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The wayward booster was spotted by independent astronomer Bill Gray, who develops and sells software dedicated to tracking celestial objects both artificial and natural.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
1 May 2026
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That there is no need to fill consciousness at all moments with the artificial urgencies of screens, of emails, of texts, of social media; the real urgencies of the bright-eyed woodpecker above my head will always be vastly more interesting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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