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 street fills with green blocky renderings of people, indistinguishable from one another, except that some of the renderings have large triangular boobs, a detail that is important for crime-fighting. James Folta, The New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2024 In videos posted on social media by the resort, ski lifts were faintly visible through a blanket of white, and the sky and ground were indistinguishable from each other. Megan Michelson, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 In the end, the AI was indistinguishable from the child himself. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024 In fact, many Likud Knesset members by that point were indistinguishable from the Jewish Power ones. Anshel Pfeffer, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2024 Worse, Penrose tilings are only locally indistinguishable on an infinite plane, which doesn’t translate well to the finite real world. Ben Brubaker, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2024 Main characters aside, this was basically indistinguishable from the kind of monologue Stewart would have given back in Obama times. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2024 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

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 23 Apr. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!