unspeakable

adjective

un·​speak·​able ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl 

1

a

: incapable of being expressed in words : unutterable

b

: inexpressibly bad : horrendous

unspeakable living conditions

unspeakable evil

2

: that may not or cannot be spoken

the bawdy thoughts that come into one's head—the unspeakable words

—L. P. Smith

unspeakable collections of consonants

—Rosemary Jellis

unspeakably

ˌən-ˈspē-kə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• incommunicable
• indefinable
• indescribable
• ineffable
• inenarrable
• inexpressible
• nameless
• uncommunicable
• unutterable

Examples of unspeakable in a Sentence

the unspeakable horror of war

continually encountered unspeakable beauty in their travels through the Alps

Recent Examples on the Web

At least 515 anti-LGBTQ bills, a record number, are pending in state legislatures across the country, representing an unspeakable mass of public hate. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024

On university campuses across the nation, protests are building momentum as a generation of Americans watch the unspeakable horrors unfolding in Gaza. —Joseph Geevarghese, Baltimore Sun, 2 May 2024

Any kind of peace settlement with Russia was still unspeakable in most Western capitals. —Thomas Meaney, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024

Gaza represents a kind of unspeakable topic in the relationship between the viewers, Zauberman and her subjects. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

unspeakable

adjective

un·​speak·​able ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl 

ˈən-

1

: impossible to express in words

unspeakable beauty of the sunset

2

: extremely bad

unspeakable conduct

unspeakably

-blē 

adverb