unspeakable

adjective

un·​speak·​able ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl 

1

a

: incapable of being expressed in words : unutterable

b

: inexpressibly bad : horrendous

unspeakable living conditions

unspeakable evil

2

: that may not or cannot be spoken

the bawdy thoughts that come into one's head—the unspeakable words

—L. P. Smith

unspeakable collections of consonants

—Rosemary Jellis

unspeakably

ˌən-ˈspē-kə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• incredible
• indescribable
• unutterable
• ineffable
• inexpressible
• incommunicable
• indefinable

Examples of unspeakable in a Sentence

the unspeakable horror of war

continually encountered unspeakable beauty in their travels through the Alps

Recent Examples on the Web

Shalaby was embedded at BBC Verify, the flagship fact-checking initiative, tasked with verifying footage of unspeakable horrors from Gaza. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 15 Sep. 2025

From families torn apart to moments of hope emerging in the face of unspeakable tragedy to incredible bravery against the odds, each episode reveals the human cost and resilience born out of chaos. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 15 Sep. 2025

Or marry Selden, if you’re actually attracted to him, and endure the not-very-unspeakable fate of being merely upper middle class rather than super-rich. —Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025

The unspeakable drama of these killings is an understandable draw to filmmakers interested in humanity’s worst impulses. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

unspeakable

adjective

un·​speak·​able ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl 

ˈən-

1

: impossible to express in words

unspeakable beauty of the sunset

2

: extremely bad

unspeakable conduct

unspeakably

-blē 

adverb