inconceivable
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inconceivable
First recorded in 1625–35; in- 3 + conceivable
Explanation
If something is inconceivable, it doesn’t seem possible, it’s hard to imagine, or it can’t be true. It might seem inconceivable that a society would choose to pay bankers more than teachers, but it’s true. When an idea or event is inconceivable, it's so outlandish, amazing, or horrible that it’s hard to believe. The horrible acts committed by the Nazis during the Holocaust are inconceivable on many levels, yet we know they occurred. Some things are inconceivable because they really wouldn't happen — for example, it's inconceivable that you would actually eat your hat.
Vocabulary lists containing inconceivable
The Diary of Anne Frank
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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List 3
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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’s inconceivable to sum up her catalog in just an LP’s worth of tunes, but this list offers a place to start.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Scientists have now tested that same relationship using masses and distances that were "inconceivable in Newton's day," Gallardo says.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
Mike McPhaden, a senior scientist at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, had a similar estimate, telling AFP: "It's not inconceivable that 2027 may top out at 1.7C above preindustrial levels" if model forecasts bear out.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
In a sport that has sometimes been criticized for a lack of scoring, it might seem inconceivable to leave out such a clinical finisher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Some brows creased as rational minds grappled with this proof of the impossible—or at least the hitherto inconceivable.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
