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
Critics have slammed his agenda as politically unrealistic.
—
Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
There is no one-stop shop to healing from disordered eating or falling prey to unrealistic body standards.
—Sam Woodward, USA Today, 27 June 2025
If Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray remain healthy and Trey Murphy III keeps it up, the playoffs are not unrealistic.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Modern dating — regardless of orientation — has its challenges, but that doesn’t mean your desires are unrealistic.
—Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
There is no one-stop shop to healing from disordered eating or falling prey to unrealistic body standards.
—Sam Woodward, USA Today, 27 June 2025
If Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray remain healthy and Trey Murphy III keeps it up, the playoffs are not unrealistic.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Modern dating — regardless of orientation — has its challenges, but that doesn’t mean your desires are unrealistic.
—Anna Pulley, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic
Adjective
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The administration had tried to argue that the plaintiffs had no standing given that the children were not born yet a ridiculous claim given that the effects would apply immediately at the moment of their birth.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
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The dances don’t settle for a twist or strut when a full-bodied vibration is possible, and Easley has a penchant for that ridiculous bobbin-head chicken dance from the ‘40s or ‘50s.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
In making arrests, the federal government allegedly went against both immigration laws and the Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, the plaintiffs argue.—
Laura Rodríguez Presa,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Medical device safety alert: issued in situations where a medical device may present an unreasonable risk of substantial harm.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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From there, Homa two-putted to save an incredible par.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
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The raging storm, fueled by incredible amounts of moisture, woke up her cabin just after midnight Friday.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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In the case of mania, a mental health symptom where patients experience irrational self-belief and happiness, models responded correctly 80% of the time.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
13 July 2025
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This tracks with an observation made by the journalist David Epstein, who writes in Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World that athletes from tiny towns have irrational levels of success.—
Henry Abbott,
The Atlantic,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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The French super powerhouse has taken teams part since winning the UEFA Champions League crown on May 24, outscoring its foes by an absurd 21-1 margin.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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From the vantage point of 2025, this appears as absurd as suggesting that women’s soccer matches should be 70 minutes instead of 90, the same as in the men’s game.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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However, for many travelers who take only one or two flights a year, that's impractical advice.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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Aside from being impractical, the new importation strategy would leave America’s drug supply vulnerable to dangerous counterfeit medicines from abroad.—
Sally C. Pipes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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While trace amounts may still be naturally present in some foods, the ban has virtually eliminated artificial trans fats.—
Brittany Poulson,
People.com,
8 July 2025
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The best sparkling water, our tasters said, should taste clean, refreshing, and should not have any metallic or artificial flavors.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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This perky, self-aware, sarcastic and downright silly show caters to both the more traditional Goodspeed audiences.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
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Green Lantern is earnest and bright and, yeah, incredibly silly and a little embarrassing.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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