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
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
On their return one, with almost unpardonable stupidity, brought the young woman some sort of information as to the probable fate of her brother.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 June 2023
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
On their return one, with almost unpardonable stupidity, brought the young woman some sort of information as to the probable fate of her brother.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpardonable
Adjective
-
Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Other Republicans — especially in the House — see it as an unacceptable expansion of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, which Republicans have tried to eliminate or cut back since it was enacted 15 years ago.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Moreover, the fact that Ms. Presley chooses to make heartless and ridiculous statements about Area 51 and Bigfoot, making a mockery of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s death and his only daughter’s death, is shameful, disappointing and unforgivable.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This version — in which Eli Manning serves as executive producer along with Omaha Productions’ Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ben Brown and ESPN — picks up eight years after an unforgivable mistake nukes the promising football career of hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday (Powell).—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Chargers committed 14 penalties last week in an inexcusable loss to the New York Giants and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Having this type of call occur in the final week of the regular season in a game that could alter the playoff picture is simply inexcusable.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Other comedians have pointed to the inconsistency of balking at performing in Saudi Arabia when other governments around the world also sponsor morally unjustifiable actions.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The choice to incinerate them is unjustifiable and undermines efforts to protect the health and rights of women and girls.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Sack Dress was outrageous, really outrageous.—
Sarah Mower,
Vogue,
3 Oct. 2025
-
But Driss has fielded his share of outrageous custom requests.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Along with the $8 million Redwood Marine Terminal, Humboldt was the most indefensible of any offshore wind power proposal yet conceived.—
Craig Rucker,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
-
But to take your best friend's Holocaust survival story and pass it off as your own for quite some time seems indefensible.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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
-
The worry with a dog like Chey is the fact they could be locked in a vicious cycle.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The show follows Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam), an unassuming and odd man, working his family’s farm under the watchful eye of his hateful and vicious mother, Augusta (Laurie Metcalf).—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unpardonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpardonable. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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