incalculable

adjective

in·​cal·​cu·​la·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈkal-kyə-lə-bəl How to pronounce incalculable (audio)
: not capable of being calculated: such as
a
: very great
did incalculable damage
b
: not predictable : uncertain
an incalculable outcome
incalculably adverb

Example Sentences

The extent of the damage is incalculable. The collection is of incalculable value to historians. The future consequences of their decision are incalculable.
Recent Examples on the Web Tammy Gillies, former executive director of the Anti-Defamation League in San Diego, said the impact Rose Schindler had in the retelling of her story is incalculable. San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2023 Along with the incalculable toll on victims and their families, gun violence in the U.S. also exacts another heavy cost: More than $1 billion a year in medical bills. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 July 2022 Much has changed in the years since, with the disastrous war of the 1990s exacting an incalculable physical and psychological toll on a country that is still trying to pick up the pieces. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 3 Sep. 2021 One by one, those connections are being severed as the coronavirus tears through ranks of Native American elders, inflicting an incalculable toll on bonds of language and tradition that flow from older generations to the young. New York Times, 12 Jan. 2021 Dudamel’s exit is an incalculable loss for Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2023 My colleague Geoff Colvin recently noted that many hidden costs associated with layoffs, like loss of institutional knowledge and a decline in employee morale, are incalculable. Fortune, 9 Feb. 2023 Hinds, Toby Jones, Gary Farmer and Nichola McAuliffe, as an instantly iconic baddie named Black Eyed Mog, are among the exceptional actors recruited to drop in for a scene or two, lend incalculable value, and depart. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Nov. 2022 Plus, Soto’s already incalculable value seems to have swelled in recent days. Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 28 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incalculable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incalculable was in 1795

Dictionary Entries Near incalculable

Cite this Entry

“Incalculable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incalculable. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.

Kids Definition

incalculable

adjective
in·​cal·​cu·​la·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈkal-kyə-lə-bəl How to pronounce incalculable (audio)
: not able to be calculated: as
a
: very great
b
: not able to be predicted
incalculably adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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