unprintable

American  

[uhn-prin-tuh-buhl] / ʌnˈprɪn tə bəl /

adjective

1. improper or unfit for print, especially because of obscenity or offensiveness.

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unprintable British  

/ ʌnˈprɪntəbəl /

adjective

1. unsuitable for printing for reasons of obscenity, libel, bad taste, etc

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Other Word Forms

• unprintableness
  noun
• unprintably
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of unprintable

First recorded in 1855–60; un- ¹ + printable

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unprintable

Now, as Watters implied, it’s floundering, feeling much too tepid when compared Fox’s online competitors and actual politicians flinging unprintable slurs.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

Rather than providing the usual textbook answer, he instead gave a colourfully uncomplimentary – and unprintable - description of his own first-half performance.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Besides, gold and silver alone were money in Bagehot’s opinion, and they were unprintable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

I haven’t responded to my stepsister because I know it will be something unprintable if I do.

From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2023

But Dad hated unprintable words, and the fact that he had stood up for his son didn’t prevent him from holding a full-dress court of inquiry once he got home, and administering the called-for punishment.

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

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