interminable
adjective
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We promise not to ramble on endlessly about the origins of interminable. This word was borrowed into English in the 15th century, from a Latin word combining the prefix in- ("not") and the verb terminare, meaning "to terminate" or "to limit." Interminable describes not only something without an actual end (or no end in sight, such as "interminable traffic"), but also events, such as tedious lectures, that drag on in such a way that they give no clear indication of ever wrapping up. Some relatives of interminable in English include terminate, determine, terminal, and exterminate.
Examples of interminable in a Sentence
Nick Miller, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Lawmakers are forecasting an interminable staring match, with both sides dug into their positions and a wild card in President Donald Trump.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025
In that sense, the trial was almost a reflection of baseball of that era, before the advent of the pitch clock: plodding, bereft of action, and seemingly interminable.
—Frederic J. Frommer, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2025
There was a tire shop four blocks away, an interminable distance at that speed with the evening heat and rush hour exhaust pouring through the open windows.
—Ladan Anoushfar, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for interminable
Cite this Entry
“Interminable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interminable. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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interminable
adjective
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