as in incredible
too extraordinary or improbable to believe
to most people it seemed unthinkable that such a gentle man could be guilty of such awful crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of unthinkable
One hundred miles is a long drive, an even longer bike ride, and for many, an unthinkable distance to run.
—
Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
The swift and sweeping effort to erase Chavez’s name from public life was previously unthinkable, as his status had only grown more iconic since his death in 1993.
—Tran Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Keen to reassure readers that a sophisticated and intelligent person might reasonably justify belief in God, the authors acknowledge how such a thing became unthinkable.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
This is the 1980s, during which legal marijuana was unthinkable.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unthinkable
Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
The swift and sweeping effort to erase Chavez’s name from public life was previously unthinkable, as his status had only grown more iconic since his death in 1993.
—Tran Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Keen to reassure readers that a sophisticated and intelligent person might reasonably justify belief in God, the authors acknowledge how such a thing became unthinkable.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
This is the 1980s, during which legal marijuana was unthinkable.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unthinkable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unthinkable
Adjective
-
Go up against incredible competition and the expectations and some change, right?—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
We were robbed of an incredible human.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Prey, an unlikely hero off the bench, finished 4-of-4 on 3-pointers for 12 points.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
To mark the occasion, the company enlisted an unlikely duo — Megan Thee Stallion and Nickelback — for a music video that reimagines one of the most recognizable rock songs of the 2000s.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The judge, Cedric Simpson, was incredulous.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Travelers at the airport Monday who heard about the vote were incredulous.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For the uninitiated, Horses was one of those buzzy, impossible-to-get-into, celebrity-magnet restaurants in LA.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The results show that reproduction could pose a real challenge for future space settlers, but it still can’t be ruled out as impossible.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Envisioning a future without steel was once an inconceivable scenario for Pittsburgh.—
Christopher Briem,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Put nothing past Ohtani, including the inconceivable.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Los Angeles Dodgers' beginning to the 2026 season was supposed to be Alex Vesia's first as a father, but the unimaginable happened.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
This erasure can be so successful that some characters are unimaginable with a sibling.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There is unbelievable disdain and resentment and anger toward this woman.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Tying a Hornets record for 3-pointers The only thing that was unbelievable about Tuesday night, in fact, was that the Hornets didn’t break a franchise record.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unthinkable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unthinkable. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
