indistinguishable
Americanadjective
-
not distinguishable.
-
indiscernible; imperceptible.
adjective
-
identical or very similar (to)
twins indistinguishable from one another
-
not easily perceptible; indiscernible
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indistinguishable
First recorded in 1600–10; in- 3 + distinguishable ( def. )
Explanation
If you can't tell the difference between two things, they're indistinguishable — they appear the same. Although their parents can tell them apart, identical twins are indistinguishable to most people. It's easy to see which of two bills is worth twenty dollars and which is Monopoly money, but a professionally counterfeited bill is indistinguishable from a real one. One of the earliest uses of this word was by Shakespeare around 1600, when he gave it the meaning "of indeterminate shape." The definition evolved, first to "not clearly perceived," and then finally to "incapable of being told apart."
Vocabulary lists containing indistinguishable
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 1
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Brave New World
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Words with 15 or More Letters, List 1
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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.
Those U.S. games will make for compelling theater, but the Yanks’ chances of winning the tournament are mathematically indistinguishable from zero.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
In “Renoir,” Fuki’s flights of fancy are as naturalistic as her everyday life — a sharp reminder that, for children, imagination and reality are often indistinguishable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
The scandal wasn’t merely that hoax papers were published, but that they were indistinguishable from actual scholarship in those fields.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026
If you like your music windswept and overblown, this is for you - but it's indistinguishable from every other windswept and overblown Eurovision entry that's faltered in the semi-finals since 2020.
From BBC ● May 8, 2026
Inside the house Blanca wore an apron and cloth sandals, which made her indistinguishable from the few remaining servants.
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.
