Word
unofficial
Phoneticsun·of·fi·cial, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌənəˈfɪʃəɫ/
UK/ʌnəfˈɪʃəl/
Definitions
01not formal or authorized
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not confirmed or approved by an organization, government, or person in charge.
adj. lacking formal sanction, confirmation, or authorization from a governing body or official source.
“The unofficial results of the election were shared on social media before the final count.”
“Although the deal was common knowledge among the staff, it remained unofficial until the board of directors signed the final contract.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02acting without authority
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. doing something without having the legal right or power to do it.
adj. acting without the requisite legal or institutional authority; often used to describe roles or actions taken outside of formal structures.
“He acted as an unofficial advisor to the president for many years.”
“The committee was criticized for its unofficial investigation, which many felt overstepped its legal boundaries and lacked transparency.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03not in a pharmacopeia
C2 · Proficiency Medicine Technical
adj. describes a medicine or chemical that is not listed in an official medical book.
adj. referring to a medicinal substance or preparation not listed in a national or international pharmacopeia.
“The doctor warned that the unofficial remedy had not been tested for safety.”
“The laboratory identified several unofficial compounds in the herbal supplement that were not disclosed on the product label.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“They also embraced a friend of the family, James, as an unofficial son, and James’s children, Dylan and Maisie, came to view them as grandparents.” “One of his poems is about a child in some unnamed village near the frontline, who becomes the unofficial mascot of the soldiers posted there.” Etymology
From un- + official.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unofficial