unofficial

adjective

un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfi-shəl How to pronounce unofficial (audio)
 also  -ō-
: not authorized or acknowledged by a government, group, class, or society : not official
unofficial results
an unofficial policy
unofficially adverb

Examples of unofficial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web How did 4/20 become the official unofficial weed holiday? USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024 Denver has, of course, Nikola Jokic and his unofficial crown as the best player in the league. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unofficial 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unofficial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unofficial was in 1784

Dictionary Entries Near unofficial

Cite this Entry

“Unofficial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unofficial. Accessed 5 May. 2024.

Medical Definition

unofficial

adjective
un·​of·​fi·​cial ˌən-ə-ˈfish-əl How to pronounce unofficial (audio)
: not official
specifically : of, relating to, or being a drug not described in the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary compare nonofficial, official
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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