inviolable

adjective

Save Word

in·vi·o·la·ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈvī-ə-lə-bəl

Definition of inviolable

1 : secure from violation or profanation an inviolable law

2 : secure from assault or trespass : unassailable inviolable borders

Other Words from inviolable Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about inviolable

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Inviolable is a venerable word that has been with us since the 15th century. Its opposite, "violable" ("capable of being or likely to be violated") appeared a century later. The English playwright Shackerley Marmion made good use of "violable" in A Fine Companion in 1633, writing, "Alas, my heart is Tender and violable with the least weapon Sorrow can dart at me." But English speakers have never warmed up to that word the way we have to "inviolable," and it continues to be used much less frequently. Both terms descend from Latin violare, which both shares the meaning and is an ancestor of the English word violate.

Examples of inviolable in a Sentence

a person with inviolable moral standards an inviolable trust between lawyer and client

Recent Examples on the Web Others said they were driven to defend national sovereignty, a principle as central and inviolable in Chinese society as the idea of freedom in the United States. — Los Angeles Times, "Beijing whips up NBA anger, then winds it down, disappointing Chinese nationalists," 17 Oct. 2019 Geraldine Ferraro was running for Vice President, and the Times’ inviolable house style insisted on an honorific. — Adam Rogers, WIRED, "Actually, Gender-Neutral Pronouns Can Change a Culture," 15 Aug. 2019 Apparently, bureaucrats believe that school district lines constitute inviolable barriers like those of nation-states that buses should not be allowed to cross. — Tyler Sandberg, The Denver Post, "Sandberg: Democrats shut down one pathway of school choice for Colorado students," 16 July 2019 Bullying in the workplace is not uncommon in Japan, where many companies remain deeply hierarchical and relationships between superiors and subordinates are seen as inviolable. — Isabella Steger, Quartz at Work, "Japan finally passed laws to prevent “pawa hara,” or workplace bullying," 30 May 2019 And lurking within, at the foot of the holy mountain known as Nanda Devi, lies an inviolable Shangri-la of golden grassland, silent but for the rumble of avalanches and the plaintive bleats of wild sheep. — National Geographic, "Why the world’s most daunting mountains inspire me," 11 Apr. 2019 Yet quantum systems, as ever, have a way of introducing puzzling exceptions to what seem like inviolable rules. — Quanta Magazine, "Quantum Correlations Reverse Thermodynamic Arrow of Time," 2 Apr. 2018 The book’s quirky examples are best understood not as a blueprint but rather as part of the author’s argument that certain principles held inviolable may deserve a second look. — Oren Cass, WSJ, "‘The Job’ Review: Of Callings and Careers," 22 Oct. 2018 The charter insists that the right to freedom of religion and conscience, rooted in the inviolable dignity of every human person, is not the gift of any government. — William A. Galston, WSJ, "Freedom of Belief Bridges America’s Divides," 11 Dec. 2018

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about inviolable

Listen to Our Podcast about inviolable

Dictionary Entries near inviolable

Statistics for inviolable

Last Updated

12 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Inviolable.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inviolability. Accessed 8 December 2019.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for inviolable

inviolable

adjective