incalculable
Americanadjective
-
very numerous or great.
-
unable to be calculated; beyond calculation.
-
incapable of being forecast or predicted; undeterminable.
- Synonyms:
- unforeseeable, unpredictable
-
uncertain; unsure.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incalculable
First recorded in 1785–95; in- 3 + calculable
Explanation
Something that can't be counted — because it's too big, or it just can't be pinned down that way — is incalculable. A kindergarten class's excitement on Halloween is incalculable. The depth of your love for your cat might be incalculable, and so is the concept of infinity. Things that can't be accurately measured can be described with the adjective incalculable, as can things that aren't predictable: "His anger over the dent in his car was incalculable. The root of the word is calculate, or count, which comes from the Latin calculare, "to reckon, or to compute."
Vocabulary lists containing incalculable
"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 10
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Ben Bradlee (1921-2014) Tribute List
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Cleopatra
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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.
Spain's King Felipe VI, visiting a shelter for evacuees, said the wildfires ravaging the countryside around Madrid and other areas had caused "incalculable" damage to the nation's natural heritage.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Seuss has left an incalculable legacy to the world, and his story is an encouragement for everyone to follow their passion."
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
What meaning did individual human life have in a vast universe that had existed for incalculable eons?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
That is one incalculable, messy club I have no doubt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
The Frenchman never spoke of his private life, except to slip in certain subtle hints that would enable an astute observer to recognize his splendid past, his incalculable fortune, and his noble origins.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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.
