unwinnable

adjective

un·​win·​na·​ble ˌən-ˈwi-nə-bəl 

: incapable of being won

an unwinnable struggle

also : impregnable

an unwinnable fortress

Examples of unwinnable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its rotten fruits are evident in the current affordability crisis, weaponization of government against personal enemies, and an unwinnable conflict in Iran. — Michael E. Neagle, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026

One prosecutor also said the Flores case is unwinnable and will certainly fail before a jury. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026

No one proved the life-or-death power of language better than Winston Churchill, whose words turned around an entire nation to fight what seemed an unwinnable war. — Richard Yanowitch, Mercury News, 29 July 2026

The war in Ukraine is unwinnable and could bring down the Russian economy. — Elliott Goat, TheWeek, 3 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1540, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unwinnable

• minable