unthinkable

adjective

un·​think·​able ˌən-ˈthiŋ-kə-bəl How to pronounce unthinkable (audio)
1
: not capable of being grasped by the mind
2
: being contrary to what is reasonable, desirable, or probable : being out of the question
unthinkability noun
unthinkably adverb

Examples of unthinkable in a Sentence

to most people it seemed unthinkable that such a gentle man could be guilty of such awful crimes
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Talks between Israel and Syria are ongoing, which would have been unthinkable during the reign of former dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose partnership with Iran and insistence that Israel hand over the Golan Heights to Damascus in exchange for normalization nipped any détente in the bud. Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 Pandemic aside, such a hectic schedule on a square featuring 24 pitches (including practice nets) has pretty much been the norm since Dodds’ appointment in the spring of 2011, meaning time off in the summer months is usually unthinkable. Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 July 2025 But there was a time when hijacking four commercial aircraft and flying them into American landmarks was unthinkable too. Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 The past two generations in Iraq have endured an almost unthinkable progression of wars, mass migrations, and humanitarian crises. Jason Anthony, The Atlantic, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for unthinkable

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unthinkable was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unthinkable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unthinkable. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

unthinkable

adjective
un·​think·​able ˌən-ˈthiŋ-kə-bəl How to pronounce unthinkable (audio)
ˈən-
: not to be thought of or considered as possible
unthinkable cruelty

More from Merriam-Webster on unthinkable

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