as in mysteriousness
the quality or state of being impossible to know, understand, or explain
the impenetrability of her prose is apparently the basis of her appeal to literary snobs
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Recent Examples of impenetrability
Played with gruff impenetrability and a thinly veiled sadistic streak by David Shih, this big dog’s name is Mitsuo, but no one uses names in the heya — only ranks.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2025
Curiously, this rediscovered impenetrability has come with Nick Pope, the undisputed No 1 goalkeeper, injured.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
Kim Gordon, The Collective A 71-year-old noise-rocker reciting spoken word over drum machines might scan as avant-garde impenetrability.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
Scott blends Damon’s close-to-the-bone fragility and Alain Delon’s simmering impenetrability in making this uncertain Tom Ripley his own.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for impenetrability
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2025
Curiously, this rediscovered impenetrability has come with Nick Pope, the undisputed No 1 goalkeeper, injured.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
Kim Gordon, The Collective A 71-year-old noise-rocker reciting spoken word over drum machines might scan as avant-garde impenetrability.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
Scott blends Damon’s close-to-the-bone fragility and Alain Delon’s simmering impenetrability in making this uncertain Tom Ripley his own.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for impenetrability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impenetrability
Noun
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That intrigue and mysteriousness still rest in the canyon walls today.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The key to effective communication in the RAF is ensuring there is no ambiguity.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
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All of Harwicz’s novels unfold at a sprint and feel at ease with narrative ambiguity and spatial confusion.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impenetrability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impenetrability. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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