incomprehensible

adjective

in·​com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce incomprehensible (audio)
Synonyms of incomprehensiblenext
1
: impossible to comprehend : unintelligible
incomprehensible instructions
2
archaic : having or subject to no limits
incomprehensibleness noun
incomprehensibly adverb

Examples of incomprehensible in a Sentence

I found his behavior utterly incomprehensible. It's incomprehensible to me that he could have acted that way.
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.
For consumers frustrated by disconnected portals, incomprehensible medical jargon and five-minute doctor visits, this feels like a lifeline. Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026 Arrigo, instead, surly and withdrawn as always, mumbled those incomprehensible phrases of his—not that anyone paid him any attention, not even his wife. Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026 That sentence would’ve sounded incomprehensible to anyone who’d just returned from a decade on a desert island, about as farfetched as Indiana being 15-0 right now. Jason Kirk, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026 The scope of the effort is almost incomprehensible, both for its sheer size and persistence on a low-lying peninsula, where the delineation between land and sea has always been somewhat unclear and is becoming less so. Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incomprehensible

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin incomprehensibilis, from in- + comprehensibilis comprehensible

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of incomprehensible was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Incomprehensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incomprehensible. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

incomprehensible

adjective
in·​com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce incomprehensible (audio)
: impossible to understand
found their behavior incomprehensible
incomprehensibility noun
incomprehensibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on incomprehensible

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