invincible

adjective

in·​vin·​ci·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈvin(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce invincible (audio)
: incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued
a seemingly invincible army
invincibleness noun
invincibly adverb

Did you know?

Invincible Has Latin Origins

Invincible comes from Latin invincibilis—a combination of the negative prefix in- with the Latin verb vincere, meaning "to conquer." Vincere also gave English vincible, meaning (unsurprisingly) "capable of being overcome or subdued."

Examples of invincible in a Sentence

The loss proved that the team is not invincible. an invincible wrestler who has never lost a match
Recent Examples on the Web Again the thrashing was not really surprising considering India have been almost invincible at home for the last decade. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 San Francisco’s close call against the Green Bay Packers was a reminder that no favorite is invincible. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 26 Jan. 2024 Which isn’t to say this team is invincible at Jerry World, after a dubious victory over Detroit the last time out. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 For a time, Mr. Navalny did seem almost invincible. Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 The 911, revealed in 1963, aimed the spotlight on the German automaker’s new flat-six engine, while simultaneous developments in motorsport saw the birth of its flat-eight, and before the decade was done, the invincible 917 flat-12 monsters. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2024 It is derived from several sources, including the Bible and literary texts, and describes the Robber’s invincible ancestry and terrifying exploits. Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 Feb. 2024 Gone are the days when Apple was almost invincible to viruses and malware. Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 18 Sep. 2023 In launching its operation, Hamas had shown that Israel was not invincible, in contrast to the Palestine Liberation Organization, which many Palestinians feel has done little to further their cause. Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'invincible.' 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 Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin invincibilis, from Latin in- + vincere to conquer — more at victor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of invincible was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near invincible

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

invincible

adjective
in·​vin·​ci·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈvin(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce invincible (audio)
: incapable of being defeated, overcome, or subdued
an invincible army
invincibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on invincible

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