implacable
Americanadjective
adjective
-
incapable of being placated or pacified; unappeasable
-
inflexible; intractable
Synonym Usage
See inflexible.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of implacable
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Latin word implācābilis. See im- 2, placable
Explanation
An implacable person just can’t be appeased. If you really offended your best friend and tried every kind of apology but she refused to speak to you again, you could describe her as implacable. Implacable is derived from the verb to placate, which means to soothe, or to appease. If you’re babysitting and the kid starts screaming the moment that his parents leave the house, and nothing you give him, be it a toy or ice cream, can calm him down, he might seem implacable. But try the TV. It tends to turn screaming kids into silent, happy zombies.
Vocabulary lists containing implacable
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 11, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
More Negative Words to Describe a Person
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Jefferson’s mind Henry was a lazy lightweight, Hamilton a monarchist and a coward, Burr an insurrectionist and Marshall an implacable foe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Supreme Court historically used Asian Americans’ supposedly implacable foreignness to justify greater, institutionally enforced apartness.
From Slate ● May 26, 2026
In Iran, the president faces some of his wiliest and most implacable opponents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026
García Harfuch — always decked out in suit and tie — transmits an aura of competence, and his media-savvy advisors have burnished his image as an implacable foe of the cartels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2025
Reality seemed blurred to her, as if the same implacable sun that erased all colors had also deformed the world around her, transforming even people into silent shadows.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
