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

Farnaby’s character, a thickly-accented and mostly-incomprehensible farmer, was, of course, called Barry.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
The scale of the commercial-military symbiosis between Washington and Silicon Valley is almost incomprehensible.

— Alex Capri, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of incomprehensible

Adjective

Although the bars are not related, all three arrived on the scene under purposefully mysterious circumstances.

— Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Dodson update One of the mysterious developments Thursday was linebacker Dodson leaving the field after individual drills.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

Yesterday’s punk, grunge, and rebel-outsider upstarts have an uncanny way of evolving into today’s elder statesmen of respectable infamy.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
In Season 2, Armison played Max Sugar, a legendary gambling savant with an uncanny ability to read people like cards in the half-hour series.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

In response to a cryptic message, Hal rockets to Rushville—literally, because his ring gives him the power of flight—arriving to a murder scene and leaving a confused John to follow by plane.

— Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
The messaging was somewhat cryptic, but that was his way of saying goodbye.

— Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

Lynch and co-creator Mark Frost opened an esoteric window to prime-time viewers with the concept of the Black Lodge.

— Amanda Karkoutly, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
My longtime podcast obsession is Omnibus, where Ken Jennings and John Roderick try to talk about an esoteric topic but mostly stray and ramble in the best way possible.

— David Pierce, The Verge, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of esoteric

Adjective

The rule also failed to tackle all of the ways trusts and other vehicles provide impenetrable secrecy for the wealthy and the crooked alike.

— Casey Michel, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
Cody erects impenetrable emotional walls around him that deny him from asking for help and creating community.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of impenetrable

Adjective

The blur outside becomes enveloping and unfathomable; the universe inside the car evolves as the friends invent tension-defusing rituals to keep from screaming at one another.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Peart was a one-of-a-kind virtuoso, one of the greatest drummers rock ever knew, his monstrously complex parts so intrinsic to Rush’s sound that the idea of replacing him long seemed unfathomable.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026