1
as in inaccessible
hard or impossible to get to or get at
an eagle's nest in an unattainable location
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impossible
incapable of being solved or accomplished
unfortunately, world peace is probably an unattainable ideal
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unattainable
As in several of Tennessee Williams’ plays of the same period, alcoholism is an issue, but Inge’s characters don’t romanticize addiction or wax poetic about their almost certainly unattainable hopes.
—
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Aug. 2025
Ramsey has long felt unattainable at Newcastle because of his age, ties to Villa and importance to the set up under Unai Emery.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
So many things seem unattainable simply because of the lack of representation in the space, or even similar spaces.
—Essence, 14 Aug. 2025
Even with the wheels starting to come off the British empire (this show is basically a Downton prequel), a place in English nobility will give the Russell heiress an otherwise unattainable level of social power, stationing her on the uppermost echelon of global influence.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unattainable
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Aug. 2025
Ramsey has long felt unattainable at Newcastle because of his age, ties to Villa and importance to the set up under Unai Emery.
—Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
So many things seem unattainable simply because of the lack of representation in the space, or even similar spaces.
—Essence, 14 Aug. 2025
Even with the wheels starting to come off the British empire (this show is basically a Downton prequel), a place in English nobility will give the Russell heiress an otherwise unattainable level of social power, stationing her on the uppermost echelon of global influence.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unattainable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unattainable
Adjective
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As archives become increasingly inaccessible due to rising costs, political gatekeeping, and complex rights restrictions, filmmakers are finding creative ways to tell stories with what remains—or what’s missing.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 Aug. 2025
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In its report, Indiana State University said its system is open to anyone, despite being currently inaccessible.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Apple has leaned more into natural photographic output, but the extra creative power and the ability to capture impossible shots that the Pixel 10 Pro offers a more attractive story to users.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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For millions of elderly or disabled people, these were daunting or impossible options.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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If a separate closet or dresser outside the bathroom is unavailable to you, then Trosclair advises being diligent in cycling through your linens and washing them regularly to fight any mildewing, molding, or weathering from the moisture.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
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While Smith-Schuster projects to be the one-for-one replacement with Rice and rookie Jalen Royals unavailable Friday, the burden of offensive production doesn’t simply lie with him.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But the situation is not hopeless.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
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Dealing with the horrors of the situation in Gaza within the sterile environment of a call center, its workers are feeling increasingly hopeless, caught in the political crossfire of an escalating situation.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Any stable resolution is likely years away, and as untouchable as the pro game may seem, there are versions of college football’s future that look particularly good for the NFL, and versions that look more threatening.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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At the start of the summer of 2024, media reports claimed Garnacho had been classed as one of the club’s three ‘untouchable’ players that not even the largest transfer fee would prise from Old Trafford.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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However, ambiguities in the law and the complexities of implementing a program made that date unobtainable.—
Jon McGowan,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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Technological advances since the mid-1970s, including acoustic and satellite telemetry, inexpensive underwater cameras, and aerial and underwater drones, have given us insights into the biology, ecology, and behavior of sharks that were previously unobtainable.—
Hans Walters,
New York Daily News,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unattainable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unattainable. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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