indistinguishable

adjective

in·​dis·​tin·​guish·​able ˌin-di-ˈstiŋ-gwi-shə-bəl How to pronounce indistinguishable (audio)
-ˈstiŋ-wi-
: not distinguishable: such as
a
: lacking identifying or individualizing qualities
seemingly indistinguishable alternatives
b
: not clearly recognizable or understandable
indistinguishable differences
c
: indeterminate in shape or structure
indistinguishable forms in the mist
indistinguishability noun
indistinguishableness noun
indistinguishably adverb

Examples of indistinguishable in a Sentence

indistinguishable differences that can be measured only electronically indistinguishable shapes in the fog
Recent Examples on the Web The money is indistinguishable when it’s donated to Porter but reflects how money from corporate special interests can make its way into the accounts of someone who decries them. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 The science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke famously stated that a sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 The meatloaf was tender but required a fork to eat — a godsend after all the texturally indistinguishable mousse and pâté — and the gravy boldly sang notes of smoke and spice. The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 From the back, the two women were virtually indistinguishable. Rhonda Garelick, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Left unsaid was that Trump himself often cultivated that media frenzy, making the courtroom doorways and halls of lower Manhattan a marquee backdrop for a presidential campaign that's at times indistinguishable from, and always intertwined with, his many legal fights. Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2024 But one day — sooner, rather than later — Latinos will be indistinguishable from them on this question that has split us apart for so long. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Viewing augmented with binoculars or telescope changes the experience from seeing indistinguishable light from billions of stars into regarding points of light as far-off individuals. Brian Blomster -, Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 How sophisticated does a program’s neural network have to be to produce an image that is indistinguishable from what a human can create? The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indistinguishable.' 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

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indistinguishable was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near indistinguishable

Cite this Entry

“Indistinguishable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indistinguishable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

indistinguishable

adjective
in·​dis·​tin·​guish·​able ˌin-dis-ˈtiŋ-gwish-ə-bəl How to pronounce indistinguishable (audio)
: impossible to distinguish clearly

More from Merriam-Webster on indistinguishable

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