unthinkable

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adjective un·think·able \ ˌən-ˈthiŋ-kə-bəl \

Definition of unthinkable

1 :not capable of being grasped by the mind

2 :being contrary to what is reasonable, desirable, or probable :being out of the question

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unthinkability

play \ˌən-ˌthiŋ-kə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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unthinkably

play \ˌən-ˈthiŋ-kə-blē\ adverb

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Examples of unthinkable in a Sentence

to most people it seemed unthinkable that such a gentle man could be guilty of such awful crimes

Recent Examples of unthinkable from the Web

Analyzing proteins within a fossil requires destroying a piece of the specimen, something unthinkable for precious ancient hominin remains.

— gemma tarlach, Discover Magazine, "Proteomics: Moving Beyond DNA to Study the Past," 15 Aug. 2017
Except Trump’s entire career is beyond the pale, and in his time on the political stage, the unthinkable has become thinkable with regulatory.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Is Mobilizing for War Against the Rule of Law," 20 July 2017
Still, for digital natives who have rarely hailed an old-school taxi or stayed in a traditional hotel, let alone met a guy at a bar, surrendering on-demand convenience remains unthinkable.

— hannah seligson, Cosmopolitan, "Your Mobile Apps Are More Dangerous Than You Think," 15 July 2017
A day like this would have been unthinkable just a few years ago when German TV stopped broadcasting the Tour because of a series of doping scandals.

— andrew dampf, courant.com, "Kittel's Tour Win Contrasts With Cycling's Dirty Past," 2 July 2017
As a Canadian representative from the 1970s to the ’90s on several national and NATO committees preparing for the unthinkable, I was struck by the unreality of much of our planning.

— New York Times, "Letters to the Editor," 30 June 2017
At the beginning of the year, that was an unthinkable prospect.

— john koblin, New York Times, "Greta Van Susteren Leaving MSNBC After Less Than Six Months," 29 June 2017
In the week leading up to her domination of the Australian Open, Serena Williams took six pregnancy tests to confirm something that was then unthinkable.

— char adams, PEOPLE.com, "Serena Williams Took 6 Pregnancy Tests Before Winning Australian Open: 'Oh My God, This Can't Be'," 27 June 2017
Joey Votto’s 21st home run was a two-run shot that gave the Reds the lead and put him on pace for a career-best 44, an unthinkable leap for a guy who hasn’t hit more than 29 in any season since 2010.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "Eugenio Suarez leads Cincinnati Reds’ four-homer effort in win over Milwaukee Brewers," 27 June 2017

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

First Known Use of unthinkable

15th century

unthinkable Synonyms

UNTHINKABLE Defined for English Language Learners

unthinkable

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adjective

Definition of unthinkable for English Language Learners

: impossible to imagine or believe : too bad or shocking to be thought of

UNTHINKABLE Defined for Kids

unthinkable

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adjective un·think·able \ ˌən-ˈthiŋ-kə-bəl \

Definition of unthinkable for Students

:not to be thought of or considered as possible or reasonable

“Impossible!” cried Mr. Wonka. “Unthinkable! … He could never be made into marshmallows!”
—Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

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