inimitable
adjective
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How Should You Use inimitable?
Something that is inimitable is, literally, not able to be imitated. In actual usage the word describes things so uniquely extraordinary as to not be copied or equaled, which is why you often hear it used to praise outstanding talents or performances (or uniquely talented and incomparable individuals). (The less common antonym imitable describes things that are common or ordinary and could easily be replicated.) Inimitable comes, via Middle English, from the Latin adjective inimitabilis. Be careful not to confuse it with inimical or inimicable, two adjectives meaning “hostile” or “harmful”; those words come from a different Latin root.
Examples of inimitable in a Sentence
Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The output is small with a distinct flavor, and François-Paul Journe’s inimitable style is strongly evident in his niche-within-niche Linesport collection.
—Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2025
Such a direct approach could prove fruitful against a City side who, without the inimitable safety blanket of Rodri, were cut to ribbons on the counterattack last season.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Yet his most precarious role might just be his latest — steering the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics while navigating a president intent on putting his own inimitable stamp on the Games.
—Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inimitable
Cite this Entry
“Inimitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inimitable. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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inimitable
adjective
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