incredible
Americanadjective
-
so extraordinary as to seem impossible.
incredible speed.
-
not credible; hard to believe; unbelievable.
The plot of the book is incredible.
- Synonyms:
- preposterous, astonishing, far-fetched
adjective
-
beyond belief or understanding; unbelievable
-
informal marvellous; amazing
Other Word Forms
- incredibility noun
- incredibleness noun
- incredibly adverb
Etymology
Origin of incredible
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Latin word incrēdibilis. See in- 3, credible
Explanation
If it's hard to believe and hard to wrap your head around, it just might be incredible. A hurricane in Kansas would certainly be incredible, but keeping your bedroom tidy all week counts too. Incredible is commonplace and perhaps overused but it still fits the bill whenever life is beyond expectation. The Latin root credere means believe. Slap an in in front of that root, and something incredible is hard to believe.
Vocabulary lists containing incredible
Believe It or Not: Cred
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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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“It is just so funny to me that something so seemingly extinct or outdated could become an incredible opportunity now,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
"I'm gutted for Liam as he is a really good friend of mine - we practice a lot and he is an incredible player," said 34-year-old Wakelin.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
Starlink is an incredible franchise, but an IPO valuation of up to $2 trillion will depend on Elon Musk convincing the analysts that AI data centers in space will be a thing.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
“Quite simply, Tim Cook is an incredible guy!!!”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
But if insecurity was the primal source of Hamilton’s incredible energy, one would have to conclude that providence had conspired to produce at the most opportune moment perhaps the most creative liability in American history.
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.
