inalienable

American  

[in-eyl-yuh-nuh-buhl, -ey-lee-uh-] / ɪnˈeɪl yə nə bəl, -ˈeɪ li ə- /

adjective

1. not transferable to another or not capable of being taken away or denied; not alienable.

   inalienable rights, freedoms, and liberties; an inalienable territory; inalienable principles and values.

   Synonyms:

   inherent, unassailable, absolute, inviolable

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inalienable British  

/ ɪnˈeɪljənəbəl /

adjective

1. not able to be transferred to another; not alienable

   the inalienable rights of the citizen

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Usage

What does inalienable mean? Inalienable describes things, especially rights, that cannot be taken away, denied, or transferred to another person. Inalienable means the same thing as unalienable, which is no longer in common use. However, unalienable is closely associated with the phrase unalienable rights due to its appearance in the U. S. Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”Thomas Jefferson actually used inalienable in early drafts of the Declaration of Independence, but the spelling was changed for the final draft. Unalienable was the preferred spelling until around the 1830s, but inalienable has completely replaced it in regular use. Alienable is a word, but it’s rarely used. It means able to be sold or transferred. Example: We work to make the founders’ words true—that everyone has the inalienable right to freedom.

Other Word Forms

• inalienability noun
• inalienableness noun
• inalienably adverb

Etymology

Origin of inalienable

First recorded in 1610–20; in- ³ + alienable

Explanation

Something that is yours forever, that can’t be taken away and given to your little brother instead? That something would be called inalienable. The word refers to a natural right that cannot be revoked by an outside force. The word inalienable is often linked to human rights — you’ve probably heard the term “inalienable rights.” In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson (using the un- variant) wrote that all men are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights" including "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The spelling may vary but the meaning is clear: an inalienable right is something that can’t be given or taken away by a government or another legal power.

Example Sentences

To Wilson, the inalienable rights of the individual were “a lot of nonsense.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Araghchi told Al Jazeera that nuclear enrichment was Iran's "inalienable right and must continue".

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

Our history is marked by many instances in which people’s inalienable rights have been violated or when they were targeted in spite of their adherence to and belief in our “civil religion.”

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2025

There are two inalienable truths in politics that bear repeating: governing is difficult and assembling an electable opposition is difficult.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2024

It was compiled during the depression by the best writers in America, who were, if that is possible, more depressed than any other group while maintaining their inalienable instinct for eating.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck