imperceptible
Americanadjective
-
very slight, gradual, or subtle.
the imperceptible slope of the road.
-
not perceptible; not perceived by or affecting the senses.
- Synonyms:
- undetectable, unperceivable, hidden
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
- imperceptibility noun
- imperceptibleness noun
- imperceptibly adverb
Etymology
Origin of imperceptible
From the Medieval Latin word imperceptibilis, dating back to 1520–30. See im- 2, perceptible
Explanation
If it's imperceptible, it's impossible to perceive with any of the senses. The world might be spinning, but it's imperceptible from your couch. Within the word imperceptible you see the word percept, which means "the object of your perception." Like impossible, the im in imperceptible means it cannot be perceived. Imperceptible is rarely used in the absolute sense of the word — it is usually paired with almost. Horton hears the Who but the tiny sounds of the Whos were almost imperceptible to everyone else.
Vocabulary lists containing imperceptible
The Crucible
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The Old Man and the Sea
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
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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.
Since then, an October study published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living showed just how much could be gained by a nearly imperceptible amount of extra fabric.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
"Traditionally, the intense heat of firing destroys any biological residue. However, our technique has been able to reveal fingerprint ridges that would otherwise remain imperceptible."
From Science Daily • Nov. 2, 2025
The hum of the electric motor is imperceptible, and it is only at speed that the sound of the rolling wheels on the road breaks through.
From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025
Five years later, Mini sat on Khorram’s lap, her disability nearly imperceptible — and in any case eclipsed by her purple-dyed tail.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2025
It wasn’t as deliberate as deciding, at age six, to become an atheist, but more like an imperceptible sloughing of layers.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
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.
