UNBEARABLE Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

unbearable

adjective

ˌən-ˈber-ə-bəl

Definition of unbearable

as in intolerable

more than can be put up with this heat is unbearable—when are we going to get air-conditioning?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 unbearable When an engine fire knocked out power and plumbing for five days, 4,000 passengers were stranded with overflowing sewage — including, yes, poop — spoiled food and unbearable heat. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026 Much of the country is at the mercy of Russian missiles that have hammered its power grid since 2022, making winters almost unbearable. — Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 The combination of relentless heat and floods of human traffic can make conditions downright unbearable. — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 11 July 2026 After going back in and rescuing the family’s Australian sheperd, Benji, Meraz had enough time to move the family’s cars out of the garage before the heat became unbearable. — Noah Daly july 11, Idaho Statesman, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unbearable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unbearable

Adjective

The goal, the former official explained, was to make life in such a place so intolerable that detainees would be compelled to leave the country altogether.

— David Remnick, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
The Clinton administration’s newest rule change seemed, to the Willamette’s champions, a last, intolerable insult.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Definition of intolerable

Adjective

Research shows warming temperatures from burning coal, oil and gas are making fires more frequent and intense.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
After an intense tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, in which matches have been played in extreme heat and sometimes at altitude, freshness come Sunday could certainly be crucial.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of intense

Adjective

His talent was extreme, but his introverted personality seemed at times to inhibit him on the World Cup stage, where the burden of trying to deliver glory for his country — as Maradona did so memorably in 1986 — weighed so heavily on his shoulders.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 19 July 2026
No one knows all the factors behind the population’s recent boom, although researchers point to recent extreme weather events and climate change, perhaps compounded with a rise in shipping traffic over recent decades.

— Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of extreme

Adjective

After overwhelming demand from fans, the residency soon expanded to an extensive 24 nights and will now run weekly in two-date increments from October 2026 through March 2027.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2026
But, for those who are dipping their toe into these massive markets for the first time, the experience can be overwhelming, even intimidating.

— Heather Bien, Southern Living, 18 July 2026

Definition of overwhelming

Adjective

To sit still now would send a terrible message to a clubhouse full of pros, all of whom know the score.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
Spieth decided the ball sitting on a steep slope and potentially on a terrible lie wasn’t playable.

— Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

And Johnson's insufferable comments about representation didn't help.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2026
Changing typhoon patterns can result in rainy seasons being longer than in the past, and extreme humidity can turn a warm day into an insufferable one.

— Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Definition of insufferable

Adjective

Critics say such plans are wholly unacceptable because light pollution from so many large, bright satellites would radically degrade views of the night sky.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 July 2026
For the union, this is unacceptable and yet another issue their members are facing.

— Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 14 July 2026

Definition of unacceptable

Browse Nearby Words

unbars

unbearable

unbearably

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unbearable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unbearable. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unbearable

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on unbearable

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dog days

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes