unthinkable

[ uhn-thing-kuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. inconceivable; unimaginable:

   the unthinkable size of the universe.

2. not to be considered; out of the question:

   Such a suggestion is unthinkable.

noun

1. something that cannot be conceived or imagined, as something too unusual, vague, or disagreeable:

   Today's unthinkables are tomorrow's realities.

unthinkable

/ ʌnˈθɪŋkəbəl /

adjective

1. not to be contemplated; out of the question
2. unimaginable; inconceivable
3. unreasonable; improbable

Derived Forms

• unˈthinkably, adverb
• unˌthinkaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• unthink·a·bili·ty un·thinka·ble·ness noun
• un·thinka·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unthinkable¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; un- ¹, thinkable

Example Sentences

After all the excitement and the hype about the apparent upgrade, then it is unthinkable for United to lose to the Tractor Boys, but imagine if they do drop points?

From BBC

A joint statement by some Pentecostal and evangelical leaders hailed the bishops for their bravery and also for "doing the unthinkable" in rejecting Ruto’s money.

From BBC

Musk is, for all the reasons you just said, including boosting Nazis and silencing his critics, making staying on Twitter unthinkable.

From Slate

The circumstances now may be different, but it’s not unthinkable that, with concerted action, it could do so again.

From BBC

“I thought RFK was unthinkable as HHS Sec,” global health legal specialist Lawrence Gostin of Georgetown University wrote on the social media platform X. “But all this seems very real now. He would control all our gold standard scientific agencies like FDA, CDC, and NIH. And politically poison them.”

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• absurd
• extraordinary
• illogical
• implausible
• impossible
• improbable
• inconceivable
• preposterous
• rare
• unbelievable
• uncommon
• unimaginable
• unlikely
• unreasonable