inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-bəl 

: not audible

inaudible comments

inaudibility

(ˌ)i-ˌnȯ-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

inaudibly

(ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-blē 

adverb

Did you know?

With its negative prefix in-, inaudible means the opposite of audible. What's clearly audible to you may be inaudible to your elderly grandfather. Modern spy technology can turn inaudible conversations into audible ones with the use of high-powered directional microphones, so if you think you're being spied on, make sure there's a lot of other noise around you. And if you don't want everyone around you to know you're bored, keep your sighs inaudible.

Examples of inaudible in a Sentence

She spoke so quietly that she was almost inaudible.

The sound is inaudible to humans but can be heard by dogs.

Recent Examples on the Web

And that tells me that the Democratic primaries are going to be through the progressives this year, while Republicans look at a very tough (inaudible). —ABC News, 8 Feb. 2026

One more inaudible adios, adios. —Chen Yuhong, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026

The foil was easily damaged, the sound quality was distorted and squeaky, and the cylinder could be replayed only a few times before degrading and becoming inaudible. —IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2026

Still smiling, the confident fan shared a few inaudible words with Green's crew member before dancing off stage to the left with a wave towards Green, who remained focused on performing. —Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin inaudibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin audibilis audible

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inaudible

• audible
• laudable

Kids Definition

inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-bəl 

: impossible to hear : not audible

inaudibility

(ˌ)in-ˌȯd-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

inaudibly

(ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-blē 

adverb