inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-bəl How to pronounce inaudible (audio)
: not audible
inaudible comments
inaudibility noun
inaudibly 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By using a series of small internal chambers in the larger keycaps—like the space bar, Shift and Enter keys— those keys now make the same almost inaudible sound as the rest of the Halo65 V2’s keys. Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 Putin looked visibly uncomfortable as reporters shouted questions before the meeting, appearing to shrug and make faces before shouting back inaudible remarks. Nik Popli, Time, 16 Aug. 2025 The reply was in English but inaudible. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2025 When Alex Morgan played for the San Diego Wave, the post-match screams of hundreds of young girls who’d descended to field level in quest of Morgan’s autograph made other Wave players and coach Casey Stoney inaudible during on-field interviews. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for inaudible

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inaudible was in 1601

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inaudible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inaudible. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

inaudible

adjective
in·​au·​di·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-bəl How to pronounce inaudible (audio)
: impossible to hear : not audible
inaudibility noun
inaudibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inaudible

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