indelible
Americanadjective
-
making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or washed out.
indelible ink.
-
impossible to eliminate, forget, or change.
the indelible memories of war;
the indelible influence of a great teacher.
adjective
-
incapable of being erased or obliterated
-
making indelible marks
indelible ink
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indelible
First recorded in 1520–30; from Medieval Latin indēlibilis; replacing indeleble, from Latin indēlēbilis “indestructible”; see in- 3, dele, -ble
Explanation
If something is indelible, you better hope you never regret it, like the indelible tattoo of the name of your favorite band or the indelible first impression it might give people you meet years from now, especially if your taste in music changes. The adjective indelible describes something that can't be erased or removed, like marks made by an indelible marker, or an indelible moment you will never forget, like your first day of kindergarten or the first time you visit a new, exotic place. It comes from the Latin word indelebilis, meaning "not able to be destroyed."
Vocabulary lists containing indelible
Just Mercy
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Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
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A Long Way Gone
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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.
Scott left an indelible mark on the game, not just through what he did on the pitch but in his friendships and enormous support of team-mates.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
He described her as a “true original,” whose “brilliance, quiet determination, and heart shaped everything from Gap Inc.’s indelible influence on fashion and retail to philanthropy and the San Francisco art scene.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
There’s no Betty Buckley in the cast to catapult “Memory,” the show’s indelible power ballad, to the Heaviside Layer, the land of rebirth for one lucky chosen cat.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
"Jenni leaves an indelible legacy on generations of listeners. We are profoundly grateful for her outstanding contribution to Radio 4, and she will be deeply missed."
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
There had to be atoms of information—discrete, insoluble, indelible particles—moving from parent to child.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
