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Surreal: meaning, definitions and examples

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surreal

 

[ səˈriːəl ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

art

characterized by the elements of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions, and non sequitur; surreal art often challenges the viewer's perception of reality

Synonyms

dreamlike, fantastic, unreal

Examples of usage

  • The surreal paintings of Salvador Dali are famous for their dreamlike imagery.
  • Her artwork has a surreal quality that transports the viewer to another world.
Context #2 | Adjective

experience

having the quality of a dream; bizarre or unreal

Synonyms

fantastical, otherworldly, unbelievable

Examples of usage

  • It was a surreal experience walking through the deserted city streets at night.
  • The whole situation felt surreal, like something out of a movie.

Translations

Translations of the word "surreal" in other languages:

🇵🇹 surreal

🇮🇳 अलौकिक

🇩🇪 surreal

🇮🇩 surealis

🇺🇦 сюрреалістичний

🇵🇱 surrealistyczny

🇯🇵 シュールレアリスティック

🇫🇷 surréaliste

🇪🇸 surrealista

🇹🇷 sürreal

🇰🇷 초현실적인

🇸🇦 سريالي

🇨🇿 surrealistický

🇸🇰 surrealistický

🇨🇳 超现实的

🇸🇮 surrealističen

🇮🇸 súrrealískur

🇰🇿 сюрреалистік

🇬🇪 სიურრეალისტური

🇦🇿 surreal

🇲🇽 surrealista

Etymology

The term 'surreal' originates from the French word 'surréaliste', which was coined by the poet Guillaume Apollinaire in 1917. The Surrealist movement in art and literature emerged in the 1920s, led by artists like Salvador Dali and René Magritte. Surrealism aimed to unlock the creative potential of the unconscious mind, often resulting in dreamlike, bizarre, and unexpected creations.

See also: real, realism, realistic, realistically, reality, realize, really, realtor, unreal, unrealised, unrealistic, unrealistically, unrealizable, unrealized, unrealness.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #22,703, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.