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
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
To fight it, the unpardonable crime.
—W.h. Auden, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2021
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
To fight it, the unpardonable crime.
—W.h. Auden, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpardonable
Adjective
-
Cutting them to fund tax breaks for the wealthy is unacceptable.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Change fatigue can cause corporate leadership to become more willing to accept the unwelcome, and to normalize the unacceptable.—
Michael Peregrine,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For anyone who is outside the MAGA bubble, the first and best half of Whipple’s book is a voyage into the unforgivable.—
Fintan O’Toole,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Breach of confidence—that is the scarlet sin, the cardinal and unforgivable sin of our fraternal ethos.—
Charles Portis,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Hynes won’t address or comment on Nyquist (who has been abysmal for 5 games, the worst player in the entire playoffs) and trots him out there in OT after that inexcusable offside, but Zeev gets benched quickly and Rossi gets demoted to 4th line and stays there.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Despite his character Cal Jacobs’s inexcusable behavior on the show, Dane has managed to capture the humanity of the character’s internal battle with his sexuality throughout the first two seasons.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The risk-reward is simply unjustifiable at this point with BTC available as an alternative.—
Alexander S. Blume,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
-
These tariffs are completely unjustifiable, and Canadians are united in the face of this economic threat.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Stripping a legislator of the power to vote over her opinions is outrageous.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
2 May 2025
-
This is outrageous and the railroad must be overruled by President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and New York politicians, particularly Republicans who have good relations with the White House, have to raise the alarm.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For decades, transfer remained the third rail of Israeli politics - so extreme, so indefensible, that it could not be spoken of in polite company.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
-
The 15% rate may be harsh and unwise, but 70% can seem indefensible.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 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
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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
-
Sandhagen dispatched Edgar with a vicious flying knee 28 seconds into that bout.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
With two hits, one hit-by-pitch and zero outs recorded, Williams then left the mound to a vicious chorus of boos as Aaron Boone summoned Mark Leiter Jr. — not Weaver — from the bullpen.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unpardonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpardonable. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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