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
Eventually, the unthinkable became inevitable.
—
Sam Dalling, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The pharmacist, played by Maria Bakalova, gives Alysia a similar monologue, in tribute to Durham’s father and those who underwent the unthinkable, leading to the eventual cure.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 7 Oct. 2025
His only chance of sticking around is to do the unthinkable and complete the reverse sweep.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Israel had done the unthinkable, targeting Hamas leadership in what should have been the neutral zone of Doha, Qatar.
—Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 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.
Sam Dalling, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The pharmacist, played by Maria Bakalova, gives Alysia a similar monologue, in tribute to Durham’s father and those who underwent the unthinkable, leading to the eventual cure.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 7 Oct. 2025
His only chance of sticking around is to do the unthinkable and complete the reverse sweep.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Israel had done the unthinkable, targeting Hamas leadership in what should have been the neutral zone of Doha, Qatar.
—Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 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 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share