indistinguishable

[ in-di-sting-gwi-shuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. not distinguishable.
2. indiscernible; imperceptible.

indistinguishable

/ ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl /

adjective

1. often postpositivefoll byfrom identical or very similar (to)

   twins indistinguishable from one another

2. not easily perceptible; indiscernible

Derived Forms

• ˌindisˈtinguishably, adverb
• ˌindisˌtinguishaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• indis·tinguish·a·ble·ness indis·tinguish·a·bili·ty noun
• indis·tinguish·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of indistinguishable¹

First recorded in 1600–10; in- ³ + distinguishable ( def )

Example Sentences

To Tarrant, conserving the purity of lands was indistinguishable from conserving white European ideals and beliefs.

From Salon

He also promised mass deportations in his first administration, but his record was indistinguishable from Barack Obama’s, and it was mostly his cruel and illegal tactics that attracted attention.

From Slate

Viewed from the overheated ideological landscape of America in 2024, Britain’s “Irish troubles” may look like an irrelevant, if faintly romantic, relic of the past: indistinguishable tribes of white people fighting over a rain-soaked island on the Atlantic fringe of Europe.

From Salon

“At some point, it’s going to be invisibly indistinguishable from a pair of glasses or sunglasses.”

From Slate

Her public views are now indistinguishable from Kremlin policy and regularly go as far as calling for violence against Russia's enemies.

From BBC

Related Words

• identical