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

After spending the offseason dedicating himself to succeeding in the weight room, a visibly stronger Richard was an impassable brick wall against the summer league guards. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 July 2026

RickyRay Robertson said floodwaters rose so quickly that roads became impassable within minutes, forcing him and his neighbor to abandon her vehicle and wade through chest-deep water to safety. — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Drive Texas road closures There are several road closures due to impassable streets affected by floodwaters. — Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 16 July 2026

The fleeing bear apparently had come to the foot of one of those vertical lava cliffs that make the walls of these canyons straight-sided and impassable in places. — Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 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