inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-bəl 

: not audible

inaudible comments

inaudibility

(ˌ)i-ˌnȯ-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

inaudibly

(ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-blē 

adverb

Did you know?

With its negative prefix in-, inaudible means the opposite of audible. What's clearly audible to you may be inaudible to your elderly grandfather. Modern spy technology can turn inaudible conversations into audible ones with the use of high-powered directional microphones, so if you think you're being spied on, make sure there's a lot of other noise around you. And if you don't want everyone around you to know you're bored, keep your sighs inaudible.

Examples of inaudible in a Sentence

She spoke so quietly that she was almost inaudible.

The sound is inaudible to humans but can be heard by dogs.

Recent Examples on the Web

Since then, the city council has promised to revise its noise code, removing music venues from the requirement to be totally inaudible past their property line. —Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024

There’s a certain poetry to the fact that the audience response to the comments shown on the screen behind the committee drowns out the actors’ attempts to quell the madness, making the actors at times inaudible. —Daniel D'addario, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024

Some sub-bass notes are virtually inaudible, while others are weak. —PCMAG, 17 Dec. 2024

This clearly crushes Lee, who screams furiously at Eugene, though his words are rendered inaudible amid the trip—Lee cannot make his voice heard. —Barry Levitt, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin inaudibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin audibilis audible

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-bəl 

: impossible to hear : not audible

inaudibility

(ˌ)in-ˌȯd-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

inaudibly

(ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-blē 

adverb