unattainable
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something unattainable is out of reach — you can't attain it or achieve it. Unfortunately, a lot of things in life are unattainable. For most of us, making a billion dollars is unattainable. Marrying a famous movie star is probably also unattainable. Flying to the moon in a private space yacht is totally unattainable. If something is unattainable, then you just can't get it. In life, it's not always easy to see what's unattainable and what's attainable, which can cause a lot of frustration.
Vocabulary lists containing unattainable
Power Prefix: un-
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: un-
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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.
Indeed, the company's development of a partially reusable rocket -- which has allowed it to conduct more launches than all other providers combined -- was once thought unattainable.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
That’s what I want too — I want to see some humanity, especially these days when everybody is being force-fed so much perfection and so much unattainable grace.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
The same platforms that make these foods feel ubiquitous can also make them feel unattainable — something to aspire to, replicate, or consume as part of a broader performance of being “in the know.”
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
If all of this sounds like motorsport is unattainable to all but a privileged few, it's worth bearing a couple of things in mind.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Then I would hate myself for allowing my mind to dwell upon the unattainable.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
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.
