Definition of impenetrable
1a : incapable of being penetrated or piercedb : inaccessible to knowledge, reason, or sympathy : impervious
2 : incapable of being comprehended : inscrutable
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Examples of impenetrable in a Sentence
The fort's defenses were thought to be impenetrable.
the ancient temple was surrounded by vast stretches of impenetrable jungle
Recent Examples of impenetrable from the Web
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Even so, the virtually impenetrable barrier of the Himalayas has generally allowed the rivals to agree to disagree.
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The lecture proposed to explain why oak forests were replaced by pine forests when cut down and vice versa— a phenomenon Emerson, Horace Greeley, and many other reasonably informed observers considered an impenetrable mystery.
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During his campaign, the president vowed to build an impenetrable wall along the length of the U.S.-Mexican border out of concrete and steel.
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Hildebrandt was impenetrable and gave Cincinnati one of its best sporting moments in recent history.
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Replace the Xbox controller maybe with the impenetrable machinations of Congress, where bills and markups and votes are often the stuff of hard-to-discern theater.
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Monster Hunter games can be impenetrable for newcomers.
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During his campaign, the president vowed to build an impenetrable wall along the length of the U.S.-Mexican border out of concrete and steel.
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When the gate is closed, the arms float out onto the canal, meet and lock, the tubes filling with water and sinking onto a concrete bed, making an impenetrable steel wall against the North Sea.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impenetrable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of impenetrable
Middle English impenetrabel, from Middle French impenetrable, from Latin impenetrabilis, from in- + penetrabilis penetrable
IMPENETRABLE Defined for English Language Learners
impenetrable
playDefinition of impenetrable for English Language Learners
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: impossible to pass or see through
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: impossible to understand
IMPENETRABLE Defined for Kids
impenetrable
playDefinition of impenetrable for Students
1 : impossible to pass through or see through impenetrable walls impenetrable darkness
2 : impossible to understand an impenetrable mystery
Learn More about impenetrable
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for impenetrable Spanish Central: Translation of impenetrable Nglish: Translation of impenetrable for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of impenetrable for Arabic speakers
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