1
as in incorporeal
not capable of being perceived by the sense of touch
the rich colors used in the wall coverings and furniture give the room an impalpable warmth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in invisible
not perceptible by a sense or by the mind
any difference between the two sound systems is impalpable to all but the most discerning audiophiles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of impalpable
The principle consists in mixing, with the sewage, quantities of lime and clay, combining with the carbonic acid of the fecal matters to form carbonate of lime, in an impalpable powder.
—
Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 15 June 2022
This is the primordial key point, the impalpable idea that will finally turn out to be the engine of your business.
—Xavier Preterit, Forbes, 22 Apr. 2022
And so, with 24 regular-season games remaining for the Utah Jazz after the All-Star break, hard-and-fast conclusions about this team remain frustratingly elusive and impalpable.
—Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Feb. 2022
But there’s an argument to be made that the colorless, soundless, impalpable structures of symbols and relationships of science are far more revealing.
—Kc Cole, Wired, 22 Dec. 2021
Afterward, as in Vienna, property relations were forever altered, which had an impalpable but unmistakable effect on attitudes.
—New York Times, 29 June 2021
The full album as well features similar, almost impalpable, differences.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2021
In these distant and impalpable moments, I am touched.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2021
Appearing in all four games this season, Grossman has displayed an impalpable ability for generating first downs on crucial drives for UAB this season.
—Evan Dudley, al, 5 Oct. 2019
Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 15 June 2022
This is the primordial key point, the impalpable idea that will finally turn out to be the engine of your business.
—Xavier Preterit, Forbes, 22 Apr. 2022
And so, with 24 regular-season games remaining for the Utah Jazz after the All-Star break, hard-and-fast conclusions about this team remain frustratingly elusive and impalpable.
—Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Feb. 2022
But there’s an argument to be made that the colorless, soundless, impalpable structures of symbols and relationships of science are far more revealing.
—Kc Cole, Wired, 22 Dec. 2021
Afterward, as in Vienna, property relations were forever altered, which had an impalpable but unmistakable effect on attitudes.
—New York Times, 29 June 2021
The full album as well features similar, almost impalpable, differences.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2021
In these distant and impalpable moments, I am touched.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2021
Appearing in all four games this season, Grossman has displayed an impalpable ability for generating first downs on crucial drives for UAB this season.
—Evan Dudley, al, 5 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impalpable
Adjective
-
Followers of the Abrahamic religions are supposed to treat God as immaterial and incorporeal, yet these early Yahweh worshippers imagined him as fully embodied.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Positioned as a large-scale genre event, the series updates the legendary SFX property with a contemporary political and social edge, with Shun Oguri leading the cast as a detective hunting a seemingly incorporeal killer.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Lou’s unit is sent to a rooftop to start shooting at an invisible enemy; the Khachaturian cars hear the gunfire and don’t know what to do.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
Experts have described the phenomenon as an invisible crisis with long-term humanitarian consequences — there are few official figures on the number of displaced people, who have almost no resources to turn to once violence forces them to leave.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Your films always seem to involve people having a physical relationship with things that are intangible.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
-
These expenses result from the amortization of intangible assets acquired by Berkshire.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gliding, light as a feather, through imperceptible gaps.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Because there are no limits on call time, the transition from customer service to therapy was often imperceptible.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Is there a subtle way to say something?—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
Many viewers interpreted the scene as a subtle reference to Sweeney's political beliefs after BuzzFeed reported in August that Sweeney was registered as a Republican in Florida.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impalpable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impalpable. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
