as in irrational
very strange or unusual; having the quality of a dream
a surreal atmosphere at the festival The whole situation was completely surreal.
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Recent Examples of surreal
Although all the views are good, there's something almost surreal about the northern view, which takes in the living roof of the dramatic Vancouver Convention Centre across the street, as well as the Burrard Inlet and North Shore Mountains.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 July 2026
After a minute, surveillance helicopters could be heard overhead, the spectacle of sheer joy mixing with the vibes of assassination-worthy leaders in a surreal and, frankly, slightly uncomfortable way.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
2 July 2026
In one especially surreal moment, Kuznetsov got down on one knee and appeared to propose to Nikolau.
—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
2 July 2026
For those of us who live in Australia, there was a surreal quality to witnessing the frenzied panic of a mass shooting unfold against one of the country’s most iconic backdrops.
—
Oscar Schwartz,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for surreal
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 July 2026
After a minute, surveillance helicopters could be heard overhead, the spectacle of sheer joy mixing with the vibes of assassination-worthy leaders in a surreal and, frankly, slightly uncomfortable way.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
2 July 2026
In one especially surreal moment, Kuznetsov got down on one knee and appeared to propose to Nikolau.
—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
2 July 2026
For those of us who live in Australia, there was a surreal quality to witnessing the frenzied panic of a mass shooting unfold against one of the country’s most iconic backdrops.
—
Oscar Schwartz,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for surreal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surreal
Adjective
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The reflex, from a distance, is to call this irrational.
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If people believe regulatory caution invalidates every legal claim, courts may look irrational.
Adjective
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As the two form a close bond, Laila discovers there's some weird business going on within the house that threatens both of them.
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Confessions kicked off one of the weirdest eras in a career that has never been stingy with weirdness.
Adjective
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Others may miss the warmth of a person who can read the room, handle a strange request or help when something goes wrong.
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Canada coach Jesse Marsch gives strange interview after Morocco World Cup loss.
Adjective
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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.
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Justices ruled that sweeping use of cellphone data requires a warrant, a decision applying the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, to new technology.
Adjective
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The 41-year-old is still an elite NBA player, which is still an absurd reality to consider.
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The thesis rests on a claim that would have sounded absurd a year ago.
Adjective
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Although his adoption listing didn't mention his unusual paws, his foster mom did.
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Indeed, that has led to the highly unusual situation of Australia not being the defending champions in either women’s World Cup, with India holding the 50-over title and New Zealand the T20 crown.
Adjective
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One sure focus is the rampant grade inflation that exaggerates student achievement and has made graduating high school close to meaningless as an indicator of college preparedness.
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This distinction between meaningful and meaningless data evokes signal versus noise, a communication concept formulated by the mathematician Claude Shannon.
Adjective
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Roosevelt surely understood that nameless, unreasoning, unjustified fear cannot be eradicated.
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Bainbridge knew about secrets and unreasoning shame.
Cite this Entry
“Surreal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surreal. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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