UNINTELLIGIBLE Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

unintelligible

adjective

ˌən-in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl

Definition of unintelligible

as in incomprehensible

impossible to understand uttered only a string of unintelligible murmurs

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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 The adversaries made for a striking scene, exchanging insults in mutually unintelligible languages in the dead of night. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 Brig is in the Upper Valais, a gaunt and conservative place where the inhabitants speak Walliser German, an Alpine dialect that many Swiss people find unintelligible. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 Death penalty states generally allow last statements from the execution chamber, but Texas catalogs the prisoners’ last words online, except for vulgar and racist language or what sounds unintelligible. — Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 20 May 2026 The man responded, but his words are unintelligible in the recording. — Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for unintelligible

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligible

Adjective

War of the Worlds fuses post-9/11 paranoia and the terror of parenting to create one of Spielberg’s most thrilling blockbusters with a dark, genuinely scary atmosphere of ordinary people being wiped out by incomprehensible tragedy.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026
Farnaby’s character, a thickly-accented and mostly-incomprehensible farmer, was, of course, called Barry.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of incomprehensible

Adjective

But although the mysterious connections between siblings are an area ripe for exploration, Herzog doesn’t seem all that interested beyond the quirk factor, making the film seem precious rather than perceptive.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
There’s a mysterious liquid dripping from the ceiling next to the changing table.

— Zachary Pincus-Roth, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a hodgepodge of financial advice and confusing diagrams held together by anecdotes from Kiyosaki’s childhood.

— Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
Disability rights advocates fear the changes to special education oversight weaken the federal safety net for autistic students and others with disabilities, making these systems more confusing when families need help enforcing students’ rights.

— Claire Sibonney, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of confusing

Adjective

Following his 2019 essay for the New Yorker, Murakami recounts a compelling history of fatherhood, family and obligation, transforming an uncanny childhood memory into a deeply personal history.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
My friend Austin, who has impeccable taste in bad movies and other internet esoterica, reflected on Breen’s uncanny charisma during a recent phone call.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

That's an important, if esoteric, distinction, as Asus already claimed the first RGB OLED gaming monitor (the ROG Swift PG34WCDN), and LG called dibs on the world’s first 39-inch 5K2K OLED gaming monitor with the GX9.

— Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026
Even though Truell was then chasing an esoteric idea around AI for CAD, Tisch and the partners at BoxGroup listened.

— Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of esoteric

Adjective

Child safety experts lauded the settlement and the accompanying pressure campaign as a giant leap forward in the effort to regulate an industry that until this year appeared all but impenetrable to reform, either from the courts or legislatures.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
The space offers guests a rare glimpse into a facet of Japanese nightlife that can feel impenetrable to outsiders.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of impenetrable

Adjective

Even for outdoor enthusiasts, the magnitude of destruction wrought by nature’s fury seemed unfathomable.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
On behalf of myself, our staff, and the Board of Directors, we are entirely devastated by this unfathomable loss to Country Music and the entire world.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026