What does surreality mean?
Surreality is the state or quality of being dreamlike, strange, and disconnected from ordinary reality. It describes experiences, situations, places, or artistic effects that seem impossible or unreal without necessarily being frightening or humorous. The word often suggests that the world has become governed by unfamiliar rules, coincidences, or distortions, as in a surreal novel or an unexpectedly strange event. It is related to the adjective surreal and to surrealism, the artistic movement concerned with dream imagery and the irrational. Unlike the broader word unreality, surreality tends to imply a vivid and unsettling departure from normal experience. It is especially effective when describing the disorienting atmosphere of a place, a work of art, or a series of improbable events.
nounThe quality of being strange, dreamlike, or disconnected from ordinary reality; an unreal or surreal condition.
- The state or quality of being unreal, dreamlike, strange, or disconnected from ordinary experience.
"The film captures the strange surreality of life in a city where nothing behaves as expected."
"The abandoned railway station had a powerful surreality, as if it existed outside everyday life."
"She spoke about the surreality of waking up to a world completely transformed."
The plural is possible but uncommon; surreality is often used as a mass noun.
"The film contains several surrealities that seem to have escaped from a dream."
Surreality names the moment ordinary reality starts behaving like an impossible dream.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does surreality come from?
Surreality is a blend of the English words surreal and reality, combining the idea of something dreamlike or unreal with the condition of being real. It emerged in the early 20th century in association with surrealist writing and art, although the blend is also used more broadly for any strikingly strange or dreamlike situation. Its related forms surrealism and surrealist belong to the same semantic development, while surreal has become an independent adjective.
Related word forms
How surreality is actually used
Often used in literary, artistic, or philosophical contexts. It can be used as a mass noun, but the plural is uncommon.
Easily confused with surreality
Surreal is normally an adjective describing something dreamlike or unreal, whereas surreality is a noun naming that quality or condition.