as in incomprehensible
impossible to understand
uttered only a string of unintelligible murmurs
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 unintelligible
In it, a local TV meteorologist played by Emily Blunt goes mute mid-broadcast and comes out instead with a series of unintelligible noises that rivet viewers.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead, first-time director Fergus Campbell drops us directly into Cleo’s world — no parents, no rules and every authority figure is obscured, like the unintelligible adults in Peanuts cartoons.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Despite being grouped together under the Miao umbrella, the four groups have little in common today, and their languages are different enough as to be unintelligible between groups.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
For example, a pricing table flattened into text becomes an unintelligible list.
—Aman Mishra, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintelligible
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
Instead, first-time director Fergus Campbell drops us directly into Cleo’s world — no parents, no rules and every authority figure is obscured, like the unintelligible adults in Peanuts cartoons.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Despite being grouped together under the Miao umbrella, the four groups have little in common today, and their languages are different enough as to be unintelligible between groups.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
For example, a pricing table flattened into text becomes an unintelligible list.
—Aman Mishra, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unintelligible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligible
Adjective
-
That principle has crumbled so far in the face of Wembanyama’s combination of incomprehensible on-court abilities, youthful enthusiasm and cosmopolitan-unto-eccentric savoir faire.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Those marks look incomprehensible in 2026.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Brandon Aiyuk’s recent emergence on social media now includes his bluntest message yet about a mysterious estrangement with the 49ers.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
-
The mysterious illness would later take on the town's name, Lyme disease.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
As with other animal welfare labels, there is a large and sometimes confusing range of labels describing eggs produced in kinder ways.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Others behave like misleading traffic signs, sending confusing instructions.—
Charles J. Dimitroff,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
But their inner lives don’t hold shape the way her little girls (and boys) do, with their uncanny dialogue and idiosyncratic observations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
Eastern Forest Tick Examined under a microscope, this minuscule parasite bears an uncanny resemblance to your childhood bully, right down to its mullet and Van Halen T-shirt.—
Jay Ruttenberg,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Although Suki Waterhouse did confirm that she is set to attend, most of the couple's friends have been very cryptic about the status of their wedding invites.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
-
Coaches and teammates have struggled to remain in contact with him, and AIyuk’s rare social media posts have been both cryptic and lacking clues about his football ambitions.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Helen Mirren, Russell Crowe, Scott Eastwood, and Gore Verbinsky are among top talents set to attend Italy’s upcoming Taormina Film Festival that has unveiled the lineup for its upcoming 72nd edition that will mix crowdpleasers with more esoteric quality fare.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
4 June 2026
-
The menu is sprawling and eclectic, teeming with esoteric functional ingredients.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
For 82 games and three-plus playoff rounds, the bunker remained impenetrable.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 June 2026
-
Which is okay, because the XLE serves as something of an impenetrable panic room and command center once parked.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
The 20-year-old has struck out 32 batters in 18 2/3 innings — an almost unfathomable rate.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
This is not like building to be able to compete with the relentless depth of the Thunder or the unfathomable length of Victor Wembanyama and youth of the Spurs.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unintelligible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintelligible. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
