something that is unknowable.
the Unknowable, the postulated reality lying behind all phenomena but not cognizable by any of the processes by which the mind cognizes phenomenal objects.
incapable of being known or understood
beyond human understanding
( as noun )
the unknowable
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at un- 1, knowable
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And to a significant extent, it’s often unknowable except in retrospect.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
One of his colleagues' frustrations with him has always been that he seems unknowable.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Finally, there’s the unknowable but certain catastrophes the next governor will face.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
Your greatest retirement risk may be something that’s unknowable: how long you will live.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026
“Fall into that unknowable abyss, and you’ll be counting the days before you reach bottom.”
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Unknowable and terrifying, the workings of the mind can feel like a supernatural force.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2022
Unknowable today is whether E.U. policymakers will stick with their program or undercut the policy when prices start to rise, as they have in the past.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 18, 2021
Unknowable — so no need to judge too harshly.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 13, 2017
Hardoon's topic--tonight and every Thursday, to packed classes--is how to align oneself with "the Light," the never-ending mystical emanation of the Unknowable God, Ein Sof.
From Time Magazine Archive
We may furthermore protest against the elevation of any negative term, as, for instance, Spencer's "Unknowable," to a term signifying a positive existence.
From A Review of the Systems of Ethics Founded on the Theory of Evolution by Williams, C. M.
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.
