unthinkable

American  

[uhn-thing-kuh-buhl] / ʌnˈθɪŋ kə bəl /

adjective

1. inconceivable; unimaginable.

   the unthinkable size of the universe.

2. not to be considered; out of the question.

   Such a suggestion is unthinkable.

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noun

1. something that cannot be conceived or imagined, as something too unusual, vague, or disagreeable.

   Today's unthinkables are tomorrow's realities.

unthinkable British  

/ ʌnˈθɪŋkəbəl /

adjective

1. not to be contemplated; out of the question

2. unimaginable; inconceivable

3. unreasonable; improbable

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Other Word Forms

• unthinkability noun
• unthinkableness noun
• unthinkably adverb

Etymology

Origin of unthinkable

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; un- ¹, thinkable

Example Sentences

But going out of the cup as holders on home soil would have been unthinkable after such a painful loss.

From BBC

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee said in a statement: "Our capital city experienced an unthinkable tragedy today. Our hearts are with the people of Providence and all those impacted."

From BBC

The result is an act so unthinkable that, if it hadn’t happened in real life, Marilyn Fu’s otherwise sensitively constructed screenplay might seem beyond repair.

From Los Angeles Times

But if the unthinkable happened, and war with Russia broke out, could the UK fight for more than just a few weeks?

From BBC

In fact, we had a whole vocabulary of different words and euphemisms we could use so as not to think too deeply about the unthinkable or our possible role in making it happen.

From Salon

Related Words

• absurd
• extraordinary
• illogical
• implausible
• impossible
• improbable
• inconceivable
• preposterous
• rare
• unbelievable
• uncommon
• unimaginable
• unlikely
• unreasonable