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
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Unwavering loyalty Schrandt told ABC News that any deportations to Afghanistan are an unacceptable outcome.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Cosmetics are not the only place that regulators assessed an unacceptable level of risk.—
Keyaira Boone,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
If every harm is unforgivable, then no one can be forgiven.—
Jonathan Alpert,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Listen, what the Mavericks did last winter is inexcusable.—
Mat Issa,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Firing a manager after 2 league matches only tells the players behaving like children that their inexcusable behavior is okie doke.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Our lab tests simulated real-world use, and while some towel warmers fell short — struggling with uneven heating, safety concerns, or unjustifiable price points — others impressed us with standout qualities.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
There’s little doubt Curtis Windom perpetrated an unjustifiable evil, killing three people, including his girlfriend and her mother, shooting them in merciless fashion on Feb. 7, 1992 in Winter Garden.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Expecting dull days and strict rules, the boy instead stumbles into a world of delightful chaos and imagination – where outrageous stories are spun, and a world of wonder, memory, and mischief unfolds.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
-
With eviction just around the corner, the duo embarks on a wild hustle through Los Angeles, pulling off increasingly outrageous stunts to stay afloat — while trying to keep their friendship from going under.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
It has been driven by Israeli actions that are increasingly seen as disproportionate and indefensible.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
23 Aug. 2025
-
What the Texas Legislature is doing is indefensible – gerrymandering necessarily involves taking portions of the electorate and rendering their voices impotent.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
20 Aug. 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
-
Just as the Kremlin sought to quell dissent against its vicious campaign in the restive republic, so, too, has a deafening silence accompanied its Ukraine folly.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Set against a backdrop of vicious infighting between rival Scottish clans, the prequel began in wake of the sudden death of Ellen’s father, Red Jacob (Peter Mullan), who was the leader of Clan MacKenzie.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unpardonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpardonable. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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