indomitable

adjective in·dom·i·ta·ble \ in-ˈdä-mə-tə-bəl \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of indomitable

: incapable of being subdued : unconquerable

indomitable courage

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indomitability

play \(ˌ)in-ˌdä-mə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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indomitableness

play \in-ˈdä-mə-tə-bəl-nəs\ noun

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indomitably

play \in-ˈdä-mə-tə-blē\ adverb

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Examples of indomitable in a Sentence

an indomitable spirit was needed to endure the rigors of pioneer life

Recent Examples of indomitable from the Web

How would the indomitable Murphy Brownnavigate the #MeToo era?

— rebecca keegan, HWD, "They’re Back! Murphy Brown and Cagney & Lacey Return to the Small Screen in the #MeToo Era," 30 Mar. 2018
Demonstrating an indomitable, even heroic, will, Dr. Hawking carried on with his work and is believed to have been the longest-surviving patient to have ALS.

— mark feeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Stephen Hawking, ground-breaking physicist, dead at 76," 14 Mar. 2018
Despite being an indomitable workhouse in the booth, the embattled Alamo Records artist has struggled to stave off his demons.

— carl lamarre, Billboard, "03 Greedo on His New Album 'The Wolf of Grape Street,' His Love for Paramore & Why He Lost Respect for Timbaland," 12 Mar. 2018
First and foremost is the indomitable Angela Merkel, German chancellor since 2005.

— trudy rubin, Philly.com, "Looking for female political leaders on International Women's Day? The list is small | Trudy Rubin," 8 Mar. 2018
But Churchill was an indomitable leader who didn't mince words.

— Fox News, "Broward County Sheriff's Office responds to criticism," 7 Mar. 2018
Having cut his own tether to others, Worsley had only his indomitable will to guide him.

— amanda petrusich, The New Yorker, "The Mail," 5 Mar. 2018
In this odyssey, Cora navigates dangers that span centuries with only her indomitable will to guide her.

— caroline rogers, Southern Living, "50 Books from the Past 50 Years Everyone Should Read at Least Once," 26 Feb. 2018
Cafritz’s monumental collection, both before and after the fire, and the indomitable spirit that drove her to acquire it, are examined and celebrated in the late collector’s new book from Rizzoli, Fired Up!

— morgan sykes, The Cut, "A Civil-Rights Visionary’s Collection of Artists of Color," 25 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indomitable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Your Knowledge of indomitable Can Not Be Tamed

The prefix in- means "not in numerous English words (think of "indecent," "indecisive," "inconvenient," and "infallible"). When "in-" teamed up with the Latin domitare ("to tame"), the result was a word meaning "unable to be tamed." "Indomitable" was first used in English in the 1600s as a synonym of "wild," but over time its sense of untamability turned from a problem to a virtue. By the 1800s, "indomitable" was being used for people whose courage and persistence helped them to succeed in difficult situations.