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Synonyms

imperturbable

American  
[im-per-tur-buh-buhl] / ˌɪm pərˈtɜr bə bəl /

adjective

  1. incapable of being upset or agitated; not easily excited; calm.

    imperturbable composure.

    Synonyms:
    unmoved, cool, impassive, collected, composed

imperturbable British  
/ ˌɪmpɜːˈtɜːbəbəl, ˌɪmpɜːtɜːˈbeɪʃən /

adjective

  1. not easily perturbed; calm; unruffled

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of imperturbable

1490–1500; < Late Latin imperturbābilis. See im- 2, perturbable ( def. )

Explanation

If you're imperturbable you are not easily upset. If your goal is to be imperturbable, then you can't let things bother you or get you stressed, confused, or angry. The adjective imperturbable is the flip side of perturbable, which comes from perturb, which in turn traces back to the Latin word perturbare, meaning “to confuse” or “to disturb.” If something really annoying is going on, like one neighbor is jack-hammering his driveway and another has a dog that's barking while you're trying to sleep because you were up all night studying and you really really need a nap, but you stay calm and don’t get upset, you are imperturbable.

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Vocabulary lists containing imperturbable

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.

See Examples For:

Cleven, imperturbable yet not insensitive, doesn’t drink or gamble or dance — he’s a movie cowboy — and Egan is the opposite.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 25, 2024

Revelations lie like a buried treasure under the wondrous but imperturbable musical surface.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 29, 2023

Paul Newman’s posthumous memoir, “The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man,” sheds light on a seemingly imperturbable Hollywood star.

From New York Times Oct. 17, 2022

“Welcome to the Grand Canyon!” says our guide, Karla Kennedy, a tall, imperturbable veteran of some 12 rim-to-rim hikes this year alone.

From Seattle Times Dec. 4, 2021

Somehow, the sight of those stoic palace guards made her buck up a bit, with their imperturbable faces and brave fur hats.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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