the unthinkable
noun
: something that one cannot accept, believe, or imagine
especially
: something that is so bad that one does not want to think about it
And then, the unthinkable happened: the car skidded out of control and crashed.
Examples of the unthinkable in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For Propst, the prospect of losing the lion’s share of his 12-dog kennel bordered on the unthinkable.
—
John McCoy, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2025
Sarah Basore wants young adults to think the unthinkable.
—Debra Skodack, Kansas City Star, 12 Nov. 2025
That’s millions of lives saved, but there are still people who love animals being forced to do the unthinkable simply because their organization hasn’t yet implemented modern lifesaving policies and programs.
—Scott Giacoppo, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
During the final week of the 2025 TSSAA football regular season, the unthinkable happened.
—Jacob Shames, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the unthinkable
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John McCoy, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2025
Sarah Basore wants young adults to think the unthinkable.
—Debra Skodack, Kansas City Star, 12 Nov. 2025
That’s millions of lives saved, but there are still people who love animals being forced to do the unthinkable simply because their organization hasn’t yet implemented modern lifesaving policies and programs.
—Scott Giacoppo, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
During the final week of the 2025 TSSAA football regular season, the unthinkable happened.
—Jacob Shames, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the unthinkable
Cite this Entry
“The unthinkable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20unthinkable. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share