incomprehensible

[ in-kom-pri-hen-suh-buhl, in-kom- ]

adjective

1. impossible to understand or comprehend; unintelligible.

   Synonyms: baffling, obscure, bewildering

2. Archaic. limitless; not limited or capable of being limited.

incomprehensible

/ ɪnˌkɒm-; ˌɪnkɒmprɪˈhɛnsəbəl /

adjective

1. incapable of being understood; unintelligible
2. archaic.
   limitless; boundless

Derived Forms

• ˌincompreˌhensiˈbility, noun
• ˌincompreˈhensibly, adverb

Other Words From

• incom·pre·hensi·bili·ty incom·pre·hensi·ble·ness noun
• incom·pre·hensi·bly adverb
• super·incom·pre·hensi·ble adjective
• super·incom·pre·hensi·ble·ness noun
• super·incom·pre·hensi·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of incomprehensible¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word incomprehēnsibilis. See in- ³, comprehensible

Example Sentences

"The hatred and deviant fascination the defendants have shown in relation to the cruelty and abuse towards monkeys is incomprehensible," he said.

From BBC

“The fact that election workers need to be worried about their security is incomprehensible and unacceptable,” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said in a statement last week.

From Los Angeles Times

The fact that the vast majority of former Trump voters are prepared to pull the lever for him again can seem incomprehensible for Democrats, especially after the former president's failed pandemic response and attempted coup.

From Salon

Yet previously, it often felt like the producers of “Love Is Blind” were going out of their way to elide overtly partisan conversations, or the discussions were so vague that they were almost incomprehensible.

From Los Angeles Times

But Lord Etherton's report said there had been an "incomprehensible policy of homophobic bigotry" in the armed forces.

From BBC

Related Words

• baffling
• impenetrable
• inconceivable
• mystifying
• opaque
• puzzling
• unfathomable
• unimaginable
• unintelligible