incomprehensible

adjective

in·​com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce incomprehensible (audio)
1
: impossible to comprehend : unintelligible
incomprehensible instructions
2
archaic : having or subject to no limits
incomprehensibleness noun
incomprehensibly adverb

Examples of incomprehensible in a Sentence

I found his behavior utterly incomprehensible. It's incomprehensible to me that he could have acted that way.
Recent Examples on the Web These numbers and no-bail laws are nearly incomprehensible, but the impact of this crisis on our communities is very real. Mike Garcia, Orange County Register, 2 Feb. 2024 Barring something incomprehensible happening, Trump is going to win the Republican nomination, indictments and impeachments and threats against democracy be damned. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024 This is incomprehensible and occurred under the watchful eye of Maryland’s very own Secretary of Juvenile Services, Vincent Schiraldi. Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2024 Increasing its intrigue, its writing was wholly incomprehensible, causing Voynich to conclude that the tome was written in code. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2024 Black holes are incomprehensible quantities of matter stuffed into a relatively small space. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Jan. 2024 His body was still in fight-or-flight mode, overwhelmed by the incomprehensible explosion. The Arizona Republic, 14 Jan. 2024 For many, the answer was multiple times a week, suggesting an incomprehensible male obsession with Rome’s imperial period. Tony Perrottet, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023 But what Julian described as equally incomprehensible is the battle he's been waging with the U.S. government for much of the past year. Mike Levine, ABC News, 20 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incomprehensible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin incomprehensibilis, from in- + comprehensibilis comprehensible

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of incomprehensible was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near incomprehensible

Cite this Entry

“Incomprehensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incomprehensible. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

incomprehensible

adjective
in·​com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce incomprehensible (audio)
: impossible to understand
found their behavior incomprehensible
incomprehensibility noun
incomprehensibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on incomprehensible

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