unthinkable
Americanadjective
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inconceivable; unimaginable.
the unthinkable size of the universe.
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not to be considered; out of the question.
Such a suggestion is unthinkable.
noun
-
unthinkables
plural
adjective
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not to be contemplated; out of the question
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unimaginable; inconceivable
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unreasonable; improbable
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of unthinkable
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at un- 1, thinkable
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.
Musk also pulls forward SpaceX’s $1 trillion revenue target to 2030 from 2031, and says it isn’t unthinkable that the target could be hit in 2029.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
“That is a sentiment that was once unthinkable, but the irregular is now the regular.”
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
“Something we may not be able to deter. Before this day is done, we shall be faced with an unthinkable decision.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
US Supreme Court justices told Congress on Tuesday that escalating threats have forced them to confront dangers once unthinkable for the nation's top judges -- including explaining bulletproof vests to their children.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
By the 1980s, catastrophism had been out of fashion for so long that it had become literally unthinkable.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
