1
as in dense
impossible to get through or into
the ancient temple was surrounded by vast stretches of impenetrable jungle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the mysteries of that religion are completely impenetrable to outsiders
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3
as in incomprehensible
impossible to understand
the textbook's language is completely impenetrable, at least to me
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4
as in tight
not allowing penetration (as by gas, liquid, or light)
the container of toxic waste has an impenetrable seal to prevent leaks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impenetrable
Another brick has been laid in One Battle After Another’s impenetrable fortress this awards season.
—
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Miami has rekindled memories of its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Miami has rekindled memories of its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Yes, some of the attacking intent was stripped from recent games, but that was necessary in bolstering their impenetrable deep block at the home of the defending champions.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impenetrable
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Miami has rekindled memories of its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Miami has rekindled memories of its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Yes, some of the attacking intent was stripped from recent games, but that was necessary in bolstering their impenetrable deep block at the home of the defending champions.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impenetrable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impenetrable
Adjective
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The dense fumes from nearby industrial facilities often float into the purview of cinematographer Tyson Perkins, a reminder of the harsh, isolated backdrop where the narrative unfurls.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
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The sleeveless sheath featured a deep V-neckline and strong, slightly extended shoulders, with sequins running in dense rows throughout.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The other is a smaller, more mysterious handheld chunk of willow or poplar wood that may have been used to shape stone tools, according to research published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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But when a mysterious woman opens The Grand Lisbon restaurant, his glittering world begins to fracture, exposing the fragile balance between success, memory, and longing.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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For consumers frustrated by disconnected portals, incomprehensible medical jargon and five-minute doctor visits, this feels like a lifeline.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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The film deserves an enormous amount of credit for its sound design, which allows Tuason to turn recordings that would be incomprehensible in less capable hands into something that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats for two thirds of a movie.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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End-to-end humanoid control Figure claims Helix 02 demonstrates a major step forward in humanoid autonomy by performing continuous, multi-minute tasks that require tight integration of locomotion, dexterity, and sensing.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Metals from copper to aluminum have powered higher in the opening weeks of 2026, as global investors pile into industrial commodities in bets on tighter supply, a weaker US dollar, and Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Opponents said McLean’s plan would cut down 17 acres of trees and add 7 acres of impervious surfaces, worsening the periodic flooding that’s already a concern.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
23 Jan. 2026
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The dressing room is more impervious to external influence than any other in European football.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Disco, Occasionally, the British superstar’s fourth studio album that’s been teased via a creeping, ongoing rollout with cryptic posters, a WhatsApp chat, listening sessions in indie record shops and a series of city residencies in place of a sprawling global tour.—
Jeff Benjamin,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The announcement of a new tour and album comes weeks after Styles teased devotees with posters, videos, a cryptic website and an intriguing song snippet starting in late December.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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As satire, Next to Heaven is unintelligible, as though someone is universalizing their own hangups and then skewering them for clout.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Dec. 2025
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A number of individuals who were in that classroom told authorities that the gunman shouted an unintelligible statement and then began shooting students.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The impermeable seed coat strategy generally helps survival of the species by making sure all of a season’s crop don’t germinate in the same year.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
21 Nov. 2025
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The discovery could enable large-scale use of impermeable coatings once limited by graphene’s scalability issues.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impenetrable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impenetrable. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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