incomprehensible

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce incomprehensible (audio)
Definition of incomprehensiblenext
as in unintelligible
impossible to understand rocket science is incomprehensible to most people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 incomprehensible This city is already a freaky liminal space full of snaking pathways that are almost incomprehensible. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026 Eventually, my mother comes downstairs again and puts her arms around him and holds him, whispering something to him, words that to me are meaningless and incomprehensible. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 Running parallel to this butchery investigation is the arrival of perpetually hungover FBI agent Gwen Birgssen, played by British actress Lily James with an incomprehensible southern drawl and some clunky platitudes that veer into genre parody. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026 Of all the awful plays the Carolina defense made Sunday in a 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears, two of the most incomprehensible came from one of their best and smartest players. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incomprehensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incomprehensible
  1. unintelligible
  2. mysterious
  3. unfathomable
  4. confusing
  5. uncanny
  6. esoteric
  7. impenetrable
  8. obscure
Adjective
  • In fact, it is rooted in the same rhetoric as the black box metaphor, which similarly blurs the complex aspects of AI by framing inner workings as confined and unintelligible.
    — Trent Wintermeier, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Painter expressed concern that paper trail may one day become unintelligible if AI models begin using their own language to track their steps.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of unintelligible
Adjective
  • All the power of the government — investigative, technological, legal — has been thrown at finding these mysterious, diabolically clever ballot baddies.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After all, what better place to reveal the mysterious professor’s identity than in the very magazine responsible for making the fictional detective an international sensation?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • Taken together, these two mistakes represented an almost-unfathomable breach of basic diligence.
    — Daniel Duane, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Baltimore Ravens were in a goal-to-go setting, trailing 23-15 and needing to do the statistically unfathomable — according to CBS, teams behind by 8-plus points inside the final minute had lost 581 straight games.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfathomable
Adjective
  • Berg, working with DP Jacques Jouffret, favors close shots that force us to experience battle much like our heroes do, as confusing, terrifying bursts of mayhem.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • However, by creating official federal standards for their color, brightness, and location, NHTSA wants to make sure that any automaker who chooses to add them uses a consistent, legal setup instead of a confusing mix of different colors and signals.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusing
Adjective
  • Superposition is an uncanny aspect of quantum mechanics that allows particles to be in multiple states at once—such as literally here and there simultaneously.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Cops released surveillance photos of the shooter, whose getup bore an uncanny resemblance to the Marvel character Deadpool.
    — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncanny
Adjective
  • Allow a chess player who’s a nerd to find some references in Wu… Iron Man was kind of esoteric.
    — John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • There’s as much effort gone into the food as there is the drinks menu, and the esoteric array of tropical flavors straddles both impressively.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of esoteric
Adjective
  • But the Broncos aren’t just about putting the ball in the back of the net — their defense has allowed just six goals all season and is led by near-impenetrable sophomore goalkeeper Ava de Leest.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Even top experts have found OpenAI’s proof of blowup to be completely impenetrable.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of impenetrable
Adjective
  • But Sung, Bennett and Miller stayed his order, finding that the California deployment could go forward under an obscure and virtually untested subsection of the law.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The area sits within the Lake Superior clay plain, where the surrounding soil is largely composed of clay, which can make the water murky and obscure objects beneath the surface.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscure

Browse Nearby Words

incomprehensibility
incomprehensible
incomprehensibleness
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Cite this Entry

“Incomprehensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incomprehensible. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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