incomprehensible
Americanadjective
-
impossible to understand or comprehend; unintelligible.
- Synonyms:
- obscure, bewildering, baffling
-
Archaic. limitless; not limited or capable of being limited.
adjective
-
incapable of being understood; unintelligible
-
archaic limitless; boundless
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incomprehensible
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word incomprehēnsibilis. See in- 3, comprehensible
Explanation
If your poetry is incomprehensible, it's difficult to understand, and it might be impossible to explain. Could be you're a genius! Could be you're just not very good at poetry. Incomprehensible originates from the Latin incomprehensibilis: in- ("not") and comprehensibilis ("perceptible, evident, intelligible"). Many unfamiliar customs or rituals seem incomprehensible from a distance, for example, the early Chinese practice of foot binding, in which girls tightly bandaged their feet to prevent them from getting bigger. Similarly, future generations may find today's Western high-heeled shoes incomprehensible, leading them to ask, "What in the world were they thinking?!"
Vocabulary lists containing incomprehensible
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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.
It all felt a bit like a game, the numbers completely incomprehensible.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
Days before the openings, the prospect of showing across his hometown still seemed to Hodges about as incomprehensible as a dream.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
It’s almost like there’s an unlimited thirst from anyone in her proximity to lay down their own brush with the incomprehensible at her feet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The signals between you and the other players can be incomprehensible to those of us listening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Yet the spectacle draws almost incomprehensible good will—“Welcome to Egypt!” and “Welcome to Alex!” come from all sides.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
