inexplicable

adjective

in·​ex·​pli·​ca·​ble ˌi-nik-ˈspli-kə-bəl  (ˌ)i-ˈnek-(ˌ)spli- 

: incapable of being explained, interpreted, or accounted for

an inexplicable disappearance

inexplicability

ˌi-nik-ˌspli-kə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

(ˌ)i-ˌnek-(ˌ)spli-

noun

inexplicableness

ˌi-nik-ˈspli-kə-bəl-nəs 

(ˌ)i-ˈnek-(ˌ)spli-

noun

inexplicably

ˌi-nik-ˈspli-kə-blē 

(ˌ)i-ˈnek-(ˌ)spli-

adverb

Synonyms

• unexplainable

Examples of inexplicable in a Sentence

He had a series of seemingly inexplicable accidents.

an inexplicable desire for ice cream at two in the morning

Recent Examples on the Web

The decline, across the board, was almost inexplicable last season. —Sam Blum, New York Times, 29 July 2025

The idea that this is how someone responds to pretty basic requests is sort of inexplicable. —Marina Watts, People.com, 21 July 2025

But when quantum materials began to surprise physicists with inexplicable behaviors, physicists in the 1980s realized that some of the behaviors could be explained by a material’s wave function traveling around a curved shape. —Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 6 June 2025

In a surprising and inexplicable way, as takeoffs and landings ceased, the feverish activity that airport grass hides under its seemingly peaceful surface came to a screeching halt. —Fabio Morábito, New Yorker, 24 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin inexplicabilis, from in- + explicabilis explicable

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inexplicable

• admissible
• immiscible
• permissible
• transmissible
• impermissible
• inadmissible
• indivisible
• miscible
• risible

Kids Definition

inexplicable

adjective

in·​ex·​pli·​ca·​ble ˌin-ik-ˈsplik-ə-bəl  (ˈ)in-ˈek-(ˌ)splik- 

: impossible to explain

an inexplicable mystery

inexplicability

ˌin-ik-ˌsplik-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

(ˌ)in-ˌek-(ˌ)splik-

noun

inexplicably

-blē 

adverb