impassable
adjective
im·pass·able
(ˌ)im-ˈpa-sə-bəl 
variants
or less commonly impassible
: incapable of being passed, traveled, crossed, or surmounted
Examples of impassable in a Sentence
The roads were made impassable by the flood.
the road was impassable until snowplows cleared it
Recent Examples on the Web
Successive punches of snow and wind were impacting the eastern half of the United States on Monday as severe weather swept across much of the nation, making roads impassable in the Upper Midwest and canceling more than 2,000 flights nationwide.
—
ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
The Michigan State Police, Seventh District, said Monday morning that some roads in the Cheboygan, Gaylord and Alpena areas are impassable and Alpena County is experiencing power outages.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
In Wisconsin, many roads in northern counties were impassable Sunday, the state’s transportation department said, urging everyone in the region to avoid driving.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
The Strait of Hormuz has been all but impassable since the opening salvos of the war, which continued for a 12th day with missiles and drones fired from both sides.
—Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impassable
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ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
The Michigan State Police, Seventh District, said Monday morning that some roads in the Cheboygan, Gaylord and Alpena areas are impassable and Alpena County is experiencing power outages.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
In Wisconsin, many roads in northern counties were impassable Sunday, the state’s transportation department said, urging everyone in the region to avoid driving.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 15 Mar. 2026
The Strait of Hormuz has been all but impassable since the opening salvos of the war, which continued for a 12th day with missiles and drones fired from both sides.
—Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impassable
Cite this Entry
“Impassable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impassable. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impassable
adjective
im·pass·able
(ˈ)im-ˈpas-ə-bəl
: impossible to pass, cross, or travel over
roads made impassable by the hurricane
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