Unthinkable Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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 And those countries who share borders with Russia almost universally share the view that the only way to ensure Russia doesn’t expand its aggression is by making NATO so strong an attack would be unthinkable, even to President Vladimir Putin. Luke McGee, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 This kind of involvement by women was unthinkable a few decades ago in Colombia. Astrid Suárez, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 The notion that an artist as successful as Joel might stay in the dark for so long could be unthinkable. Jenna Wang, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 The Kings have been here before, often blowing big leads against shorthanded teams while suffering unthinkable losses to the likes of the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024 In the space of less than two weeks, several state institutions have been attacked by the gangs, which are increasingly coordinating their actions and choosing once unthinkable targets like the Central Bank. Evens Sanon and Pierre-Richard Luxama, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 The living conditions in Rafah where 1.4 million internal refugees are herded and trapped are unthinkable. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 In his absence, worshipers at a nearby ultra-Orthodox synagogue had dedicated a Torah to a soldier killed during the invasion of Gaza — something that would have been unthinkable before the war. Natan Odenheimer, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Macron pointed out that Western democracies have gradually increased their support to levels unthinkable when the war began. Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unthinkable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near unthinkable

Cite this Entry

“Unthinkable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unthinkable. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!