ˌən-ˈpärd-nə-bəl
as in unacceptable
too bad to be excused or justified
regards cruelty to animals as an unpardonable sin
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Recent Examples of unpardonable
More to the point: Doing nothing would be unpardonable.
—
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 27 Nov. 2025
If Sam is wrong, his journalistic sin is unpardonable.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 13 May 2025
Attacking innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Alone in George’s office, Roger commits the unpardonable offense of reading his notebook.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Trump’s explicit threats against the Bidens, and his record of trying to politicize the Justice Department and FBI, almost justify an unpardonable pardon, columnist Jackie Calmes writes.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
In her small and deeply Catholic community, suicide is an unpardonable sin, so a horrible crime lures her with the promise of escape.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2024
As her recent award accolades attest, Zine was a force of nature from first take to last, the conduit through which the viewer experiences the dread, horror, anguish and grief of witnessing her father murdered for the unpardonable sin of speaking his truth.
—Alexander Woo, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 June 2024
Insulting you for complimenting him was unpardonable.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2023
Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 27 Nov. 2025
If Sam is wrong, his journalistic sin is unpardonable.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 13 May 2025
Attacking innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Alone in George’s office, Roger commits the unpardonable offense of reading his notebook.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Trump’s explicit threats against the Bidens, and his record of trying to politicize the Justice Department and FBI, almost justify an unpardonable pardon, columnist Jackie Calmes writes.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
In her small and deeply Catholic community, suicide is an unpardonable sin, so a horrible crime lures her with the promise of escape.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2024
As her recent award accolades attest, Zine was a force of nature from first take to last, the conduit through which the viewer experiences the dread, horror, anguish and grief of witnessing her father murdered for the unpardonable sin of speaking his truth.
—Alexander Woo, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 June 2024
Insulting you for complimenting him was unpardonable.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpardonable
Adjective
-
Clearly, those are unacceptable results.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Trump, back in Washington, told the New York Post that even the deal Vance brought was unacceptable.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As in Gaza, the recent bombing of Lebanon has been indiscriminate, with unforgivable civilian casualties.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Take the quiz here … ROYAL RIFT — Prince Harry, Meghan Markle caused ‘unforgivable’ stress for Queen Elizabeth in final years.—
,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
These are all inexcusable and counterproductive acts of violence.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The omission of any reference to South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley was inexcusable.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Salim has to be the pragmatic one who pretends everything around them isn’t morally unjustifiable just to get through the day without losing his mind.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, said the war was morally unjustifiable.—
Nicole Winfield,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The nuggets were not the most outrageous item in a lineup that included an edible hot sauce packet and Mountain Dew Baja Blast under-eye pads.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
-
My room, outfitted with a round bed and a freestanding tub, edged into Austin Powers territory—outrageous in theory, wildly practical in reality (especially with the tub offering an impeccable sightline to the TV).—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Albuquerque held on to Goa after his men rebelled, insisting that the city was indefensible.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Vancouver’s young players haven’t improved, and various deployment decisions — like playing Evander Kane far more than any other forward, or utilizing Teddy Blueger as a first-line centre after the Olympic break — have been downright indefensible.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Conservatives and Republicans in Congress continue to claim that the cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits is an insupportable burden on America, so benefits need to be cut, though President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to preserve entitlements like Social Security and Medicare.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Jan. 2025
-
There are people of goodwill who think the way out of this insupportable situation lies in the fight for equal democratic rights in a single state for everyone living in the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.—
Michelle Goldberg,
The Mercury News,
14 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
Inexplicable, loud, kinetic, vicious.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
That is, until the union starts not-so-quietly exploding during a vicious screaming match at their home following a fundraising event.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unpardonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpardonable. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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