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 of Hormuz has been all but impassable since the opening salvos of the war, which continued for a 12th day with missiles and drones fired from both sides. —Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026

The concourse became impassable, but no one seemed to mind. —Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026

The upheaval, now in its ninth day, shows no sign of imminent resolution, meaning a strip of water that normally handles a fifth of the world’s oil is impassable. —Yongchang Chin, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026

It’s tucked in an old-growth redwood tree in the backcountry of the park, in Humboldt County, where there are no roads and a creek presents an impassable barrier, Williams-Claussen said. —Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 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