inaccessible

adjective in·ac·ces·si·ble \ ˌi-nik-ˈse-sə-bəl , (ˌ)i-ˌnak- \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: inaccessible in a Sentence

Definition of inaccessible

: not accessible

an inaccessible area

an inaccessible goal

—

inaccessibility

play \ˌi-nik-ˌse-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē, (ˌ)i-ˌnak-\ noun

—

inaccessibly

play \ˌi-nik-ˈse-sə-blē, (ˌ)i-ˌnak-\ adverb

See inaccessible defined for English-language learners

See inaccessible defined for kids

Examples of inaccessible in a Sentence

The area is inaccessible by road.
His prose is inaccessible to many readers.

Recent Examples of inaccessible from the Web

Another affected area, Lanipuna Gardens, remains inaccessible, because sulfur dioxide fumes from the fissures remain at dangerous levels.

— james burch, National Geographic, "Kilauea Photographers Aid Relief Effort in Hawaii Community," 12 May 2018
Or will only the wealthiest 1 percent of the global population reap benefits that are inaccessible to the 99 percent?

— per kristian hong, STAT, "The 1 percent will continue to get healthier. The 99 percent should, too," 24 Apr. 2018
Yet for ordinary use, for ordinary people, technical bike clothing may seem inaccessible or outlandish.

— christine ro, The Atlantic, "How Cycling Clothing Opened Doors for Women," 15 Apr. 2018
To stop commercial operators from taking compost meant for residents, Hickman said, Boise might set up surveillance cameras and install structures that make the pile inaccessible to heavy equipment, Hickman said.

— sven berg, idahostatesman, "Someone apparently stole compost from a Boise pickup site. No kidding. | Idaho Statesman," 23 May 2018
And more visitors found the Angelito Trailhead leading to a river and a swimming hole that was inaccessible because a bridge had washed away.

— New York Times, "In Puerto Rico, Waiting for Power, for Tourists, for the Flowers," 7 May 2018
Thirty years ago, the river and the lakefront were relatively inaccessible for most recreational uses.

— james f. mccarty, cleveland.com, "Cuyahoga River to celebrate new achievements for improved public access, aesthetics," 27 Apr. 2018
Several State Parks Are Closed Ha’ena State Park and Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, including the popular Kalalau Trail, are inaccessible due to flooding and landslides that occurred over the weekend.

— lyndsey matthews, Town & Country, "What Travelers Should Know About Visiting Kauai After the Flood," 20 Apr. 2018
An apparently intractable fact of life is that our thoughts are inaccessible to one another.

— jason pontin, WIRED, "Thought-Reading Machines and the Death of Love," 16 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inaccessible.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of inaccessible

Middle English, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin inaccessibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin accessibilis accessible

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year