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Synonyms

unapproachable

American  
[uhn-uh-proh-chuh-buhl] / ˌʌn əˈproʊ tʃə bəl /

adjective

  1. not capable of being approached; remote; unreachable.

    an unapproachable spot; an unapproachable person.

    Synonyms:
    cold, austere, distant, aloof, inaccessible
  2. impossible to equal or rival.

    unapproachable mastery of her art.


unapproachable British  
/ ˌʌnəˈprəʊtʃəbəl /

adjective

  1. discouraging intimacy, friendliness, etc; aloof

  2. inaccessible

  3. not to be rivalled

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unapproachability noun
  • unapproachableness noun
  • unapproachably adverb

Etymology

Origin of unapproachable

First recorded in 1575–85; un- 1 + approachable

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.

I looked online and there were so many comments about how much people hated my hair, and how it made me just seem so unapproachable and pretentious.

From Salon

People on the street describe a formidable figure who was unapproachable and always surrounded by guards.

From BBC

His reticent demeanor, coupled with his enormous stature in the game, gave many people the impression that he was unapproachable.

From Los Angeles Times

“Some of the biggest and most sought-after events in the world are unapproachable and inaccessible to the majority of people,” says Cosm CEO Terry.

From Los Angeles Times

"Our continued collaboration with the So lab and their expertise with microscope development has enabled in vivo studies that are unapproachable using conventional, out-of-the-box two photon microscopes," she added.

From Science Daily