unspeakable
adjective
un·speak·able
ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl 
1
a
: incapable of being expressed in words : unutterable
b
: inexpressibly bad : horrendous
unspeakable living conditions
unspeakable evil
2
: that may not or cannot be spoken
the bawdy thoughts that come into one's head—the unspeakable words—
L. P. Smith
L. P. Smithunspeakable collections of consonants—Rosemary Jellis
Rosemary JellisExamples of unspeakable in a Sentence
the unspeakable horror of war
continually encountered unspeakable beauty in their travels through the Alps
Recent Examples on the Web
Charo is fleeing the life that’s expected of her as a woman; Sal after an unspeakable tragedy.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Neighbors who found a dog tied up to a tree one morning knew the unspeakable truth had happened: someone had abandoned him.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
The iron fist, meanwhile, shown by the state in preventing those extradited to El Salvador’s prisons so much as a word to say represents none other than the nation’s return to unspeakable cruelty and derangement.
—Amir Hussain
june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
But when Rachel’s son discovers a family friend collapsed and confronted by something unspeakable, the illusion of normalcy shatters — setting off a chain of events that will change their lives forever.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unspeakable
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Neighbors who found a dog tied up to a tree one morning knew the unspeakable truth had happened: someone had abandoned him.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
The iron fist, meanwhile, shown by the state in preventing those extradited to El Salvador’s prisons so much as a word to say represents none other than the nation’s return to unspeakable cruelty and derangement.
—Amir Hussain
june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
But when Rachel’s son discovers a family friend collapsed and confronted by something unspeakable, the illusion of normalcy shatters — setting off a chain of events that will change their lives forever.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for unspeakable
Cite this Entry
“Unspeakable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unspeakable. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unspeakable
adjective
un·speak·able
ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl
ˈən-
1
: impossible to express in words
unspeakable beauty of the sunset
2
: extremely bad
unspeakable conduct
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share