inaccessible
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- inaccessibility noun
- inaccessibleness noun
- inaccessibly adverb
Etymology
Origin of inaccessible
From the Late Latin word inaccessibilis, dating back to 1545–55. See in- 3, accessible
Explanation
Can't get to something you want? It must be inaccessible. If it were accessible, you wouldn't have any trouble finding it. This word makes a lot of sense when you think about the word access, which is the ability to get at, use, or have something. Inaccessible things are out of reach. There are a lot of ways this word is used. A building without a ramp is often called inaccessible because people who use wheelchairs can't get in. People can be inaccessible too. If your doctor has office hours only one hour a day every two months, she's really inaccessible.
Vocabulary lists containing inaccessible
"Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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The Bluest Eye
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Remote Learning: Synonyms for "Far"
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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.
With cemeteries inaccessible, they resorted to schools, mosques, backyards, sidewalks.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
It already explains how warehouses full of food can become inaccessible or ignored.
From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026
Cashless payment terminals in cafes and shops stopped functioning, and public restrooms were inaccessible because payment couldn’t be processed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
It was at this point that Folan was told her ovaries were inaccessible, meaning she was never going to be able to produce any eggs.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
But why hide 'Jason Taylor' under an inaccessible symbolist and a Latin American revolutionary?”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
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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.