MEANING
A feeling that one's surroundings are unreal, distant, or dreamlike despite their physical presence.
Use it for
A familiar world feeling artificial; uncertainty about perception; alienation from an otherwise ordinary roomDescribe felt unreality without declaring the character irrational or violent.
Words that belong together
- episode of derealization
- experience derealization
- persistent derealization
On the page
During derealization, even the familiar kitchen seemed staged.
She knew the room was real, despite the derealization.
The journal separated derealization from the events the camera had recorded.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- derealization
Usage notes
Primary category: horror. A subjective experience, not proof that reality has changed; distinguish from depersonalization, which concerns the self. It is not necessarily a fixed false belief. Usually uncountable in this sense; no routine plural. British spelling: derealisation.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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