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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Recent Examples of unrealistic
The law, implemented in 2003, threatened a host of sanctions, including school closure, if student test scores didn't rise, but its standards were seen by many to be not just unrealistic but unattainable.
—
Cory Turner, NPR, 13 May 2026
Hopkins, a Republican, revealed this spring that Cranston was facing a major structural deficit due to years of unrealistic budgeting that underestimated costs of expenses like public safety overtime.
—Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 13 May 2026
But for many experts steeped in the intricacies of missing persons cases, the Guthrie investigation also has raised questions about whether the general public has been conditioned to hold outsized and unrealistic expectations of law enforcement’s capabilities.
—Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
The biggest risks are around provenance, ownership structure, storage, insurance and unrealistic return expectations.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Cory Turner, NPR, 13 May 2026
Hopkins, a Republican, revealed this spring that Cranston was facing a major structural deficit due to years of unrealistic budgeting that underestimated costs of expenses like public safety overtime.
—Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 13 May 2026
But for many experts steeped in the intricacies of missing persons cases, the Guthrie investigation also has raised questions about whether the general public has been conditioned to hold outsized and unrealistic expectations of law enforcement’s capabilities.
—Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
The biggest risks are around provenance, ownership structure, storage, insurance and unrealistic return expectations.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unrealistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrealistic
Adjective
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Americans perhaps make a bit of a fuss over how good the food is in Paris, but Full Phil takes this notion to ridiculous extremes.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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Two very different shows, with very different moods, but two inspirational nights that prove there is no substitute for human enthusiasm—the more ridiculous the better.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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This siloed approach places an unreasonable burden on manufacturing teams to integrate disparate AI systems, reconcile conflicting recommendations and synthesize insights manually.—
Joel Scutchfield,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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As the complaints piled on, Congress voted to expand the powers of the FMC via the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA), giving the agency the authority to investigate and penalize carriers for unreasonable practices.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Most absurd of all is the notion that Trump specifically worries about being seen as indulging in frivolity during wartime.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
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Cue a mordantly absurd scene where his chance to land a position in the administration hinges on him successfully retrieving a precious package from a muddy field behind enemy lines, which turns out to be a damp and recalcitrant cat.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Institutional trading desks spend enormous amounts of time studying behavior, emotional responses and risk tolerance because markets constantly pressure people into making irrational decisions.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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The bullish argument goes that earnings season went better than expected, so the rally isn’t irrational.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Athletes are always getting bigger, stronger, and faster, and doing ever more incredible things.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Rai’s incredible run continued with another birdie on 13, putting the 31-year-old in great position to make history for his nation.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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While Motorola has made progress overcoming some traditional shortcomings of foldables, the phone still feels rather impractical, while still being very cool.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
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However, Burry warned that directly betting against the rally through short selling is risky and impractical for most investors, particularly as bearish trades have become increasingly expensive.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Even though the percentages and point-system, along with simulcast rules, can seem silly and out of touch with creative and investment reality, CanCon made possible global hits like Crave and HBO’s hockey romance series Heated Rivalry.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 May 2026
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That tension — something prosaic or silly culminating in something hilarious and transfixing — achieved what poor Vandenberg and her pratfalls could not.—
Anna Peele,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Add a touch of color with these artificial flowers or revamp your living room with a fresh area rug.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 May 2026
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To make the system more lifelike, the team linked the organoid to an artificial cardiac plexus, a network of nerves located near the base of the heart that helps regulate heartbeat activity.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unrealistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrealistic. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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