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 of impassable

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

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

The Strait carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil, and remains largely impassable. —Garrett Downs, CNBC, 31 May 2026

Fire safety regulations have long required multifamily buildings to contain two or more staircases so that residents can exit their homes safely if one staircase is impassable because of smoke or other reasons. —Alex Schwartz, The Conversation, 29 May 2026

Hikers also must navigate changing tides that can make portions of the trail impassable during high water. —Velvet Wu, Sacbee.com, 26 May 2026

Faced with an impassable strait, carriers did not hold vessels in indefinite anchorage. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 7 May 2026

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