indescribable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indescribable
First recorded in 1785–95; in- 3 + describable ( def. )
Explanation
Something indescribable is too intense, extreme or unusual to describe. It's beyond words. Have you ever noticed how some things are tough or impossible to put into words? Those things are indescribable. The feeling after you win the Olympic gold medal in swimming is probably indescribable. The astronauts who traveled to the moon had an indescribable experience. Some say an incredible athlete like Michael Jordan is indescribable. Of course, nothing is truly indescribable — people describe just about everything. Still, this is a great word for when you feel like words just aren't enough.
Vocabulary lists containing indescribable
The Skin I'm In
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Obama's speech at Connecticut vigil
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: scrib, scribe
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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.
Ransby said her endometriosis over the years had caused "debilitating" and "indescribable" pain.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
"Our mother suffered indescribable pain for more than three weeks before succumbing to her injuries," said the statement read by Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, according to the Denver Post.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
“There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing right now,” said attorney Patrick Steinfeld on behalf of the family.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
"It's an indescribable feeling, thank God. What can I say? My two young children didn't recognise me, but thank God. I hope it will be alright", Yusef Abu Fahma, another returnee, told AFP.
From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026
“Maybe it will go on down the other side of the hall,” Theodora whispered, and Eleanor thought that the oddest part of this indescribable experience was that Theodora should be having it too.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
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.
