unrecognizable

adjective

un·​rec·​og·​niz·​able ˌən-ˈre-kəg-ˌnī-zə-bəl How to pronounce unrecognizable (audio)
-kig-
: incapable of being identified or recognized : not recognizable
The beaches were unrecognizable after the hurricane.
He was unrecognizable without his mustache.
unrecognizableness noun
unrecognizably adverb
an unrecognizably altered landscape

Examples of unrecognizable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The whirlwind experience was almost unrecognizable compared to Kirby’s two previous efforts. Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 On Thursday, February 15, the British singer was spotted around New York City looking almost unrecognizable in a voluminous yet sleek new bob. Marci Robin, Allure, 15 Feb. 2024 Perhaps these stats and feelings aren’t so surprising; business today is just about unrecognizable from the early pandemic era, when most everyone assumed the shift to work-from-home would be temporary. Jane Thier, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024 Tabasco—practically unrecognizable without her signature bob—wore a scrapbook Marni dress, a standout from the brand’s spring 2024 collection. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 Jan. 2024 Speculative fiction works by melding the familiar with the unrecognizable. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2024 It’s got a great cast, including Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts and an unrecognizable Andrea Riseborough, among others (others including Hugh Grant). The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2024 An almost unrecognizable Austin Butler joins the party as psychopath Feyd-Rautha — a role famously devoured by Sting in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic novel. Andrew Torgan, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024 In another part of the film, Affleck appeared unrecognizable as a blonde newscaster wearing a wig and prosthetics. Ashley Hume, Fox News, 20 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unrecognizable was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near unrecognizable

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on unrecognizable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!