impassable

adjective

im·​pass·​able (ˌ)im-ˈpa-sə-bəl 

variants or less commonly impassible

: incapable of being passed, traveled, crossed, or surmounted

impassability

(ˌ)im-ˌpa-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

impassableness

(ˌ)im-ˈpa-sə-bəl-nəs 

noun

impassably

(ˌ)im-ˈpa-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• close
• impervious
• frozen
• impenetrable
• impermeable
• impregnable
• dense

Examples of impassable in a Sentence

The roads were made impassable by the flood.

the road was impassable until snowplows cleared it

Recent Examples on the Web

Idaho 21 near Stanley is back open after a mudslide made a nearly 12-mile stretch of the road impassable after heavy rains Tuesday. —Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 29 Aug. 2025

The National Hurricane Center has warned that roads in the low-lying barrier islands will become impassable, with powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet crashing ashore. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025

Numerous roads will likely be impassable under several feet of water and vehicles will likely be submerged. —Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025

The lowest portions of Water Street between Princess and Orange Streets may become impassable. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impassable

• passable
• impassible
• irascible
• unsurpassable

Kids Definition

impassable

adjective

im·​pass·​able (ˈ)im-ˈpas-ə-bəl 

: impossible to pass, cross, or travel over

roads made impassable by the hurricane

impassability

(ˌ)im-ˌpas-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun