inadmissible
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inadmissible
First recorded in 1770–80; in- 3 + admissible
Explanation
If something's inadmissible, it's not allowed or permitted, usually because it's seen to be irrelevant. Inadmissible evidence needs to stay out of the courtroom. While you can use the adjective inadmissible to talk about anything that's not tolerated or is objectionable, it's most commonly used in a legal context. In a courtroom, when evidence is declared inadmissible by a judge, that means it can't be mentioned during a trial — it's not relevant or valid. Inadmissible adds the "not" prefix in- to admissible, from the Latin root admittere, "to allow to enter."
Vocabulary lists containing inadmissible
Lady Windermere's Fan
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!
The Sherlock Society
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!
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.
Any halfway decent lawyer knows that polygraphs are so unreliable that the results are inadmissible in court.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
Jonathan’s lawyers said the footprint is inadmissible because the path was “never cordoned off and therefore contaminated,” making the mark “unsuitable as the subject of forensic-scientific examination.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Not all of Mangione's statements to police in the McDonald's restaurant where they arrested him in Pennsylvania were ruled inadmissible.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
A New York judge will allow a gun and writings found in Luigi Mangione's backpack after his 2024 arrest to be presented at his state murder trial, but has ruled that other items are inadmissible.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
“I believe,” concluded Scott, “if Congress should at any time be of the opinion that a state of slavery was a quality inadmissible in America, they would not be barred...of prohibiting this baneful quality.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
