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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unattainable
Herd immunity is about more than just eliminating transmission by reaching an often unattainable threshold of population-level protection.
—
Virginia E. Pitzer, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2026
In the case of a sacrosanct, seemingly unattainable number like Kobe’s 81, chasing a stat doesn’t feel so different from chasing a ring.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
But that goal will be difficult—verging on unattainable—and would likely require a lengthy military commitment.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
While the world continues to push unattainable beauty standards into every aspect of our lives, women of all ages are quietly protesting the status quo by starting a revolution that embraces aging and natural beauty rather than rejecting them.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unattainable
Virginia E. Pitzer, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2026
In the case of a sacrosanct, seemingly unattainable number like Kobe’s 81, chasing a stat doesn’t feel so different from chasing a ring.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
But that goal will be difficult—verging on unattainable—and would likely require a lengthy military commitment.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
While the world continues to push unattainable beauty standards into every aspect of our lives, women of all ages are quietly protesting the status quo by starting a revolution that embraces aging and natural beauty rather than rejecting them.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unattainable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unattainable
Adjective
-
Biohazard waste containers are effective at keeping these items relatively inaccessible once they’re inserted until they’re emptied or disposed of appropriately.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
No walking path existed near its perimeter, underlining the fact that the castle looked down on Berkeley Springs from a position of inaccessible dominance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Desire defines the work and is impossible to divorce from our response to it.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Previously, the idea of a pope from the US was deemed impossible because the cardinals would not want to ally the Church with the world’s dominant power.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fans familiar with 1985’s beat-tastic, falsetto-fluttery, Technicolor masterpiece Cupid & Psyche 85 may blanch at Songs to Remember’s wispy skeletal attempts at dub and acoustic pop (especially since the album has, until now, been out of print and unavailable on streaming).—
Alfred Soto,
Pitchfork,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Antetokounmpo was unavailable for a 14th straight game due to what the Bucks labeled as a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
During that stretch, Davis has waffled between hopeless and hopeful on a weekly basis.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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After a while, a group of hopeless employees – sent to a training program – wreaks havoc on each one of them.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
State hospitals, especially those that treat difficult mental health patients, are not abstract healing environments untouchable by reality.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Mark loves to be thought of as untouchable, but that’s a defense mechanism.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There is Tamara, a city where signs symbolize unobtainable meanings.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Prices are inflated in January and, as Everton found, many top targets are often unobtainable.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unattainable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unattainable. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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