Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

unwinnable

British  
/ ʌnˈwɪnəbəl /

adjective

  1. not able to be won or achieved

  2. (of a seat in an election) not able to be taken from the incumbent or the incumbent's party

"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

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.

See Examples For:

When the invasion of Russia bogged down in late 1941, Todt insisted on getting a firsthand tour and came away convinced the war had become unwinnable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025

People thought that case was unwinnable, and we won, and we won in a big way.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2025

But the battle against age is ultimately unwinnable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2023

“It was unwinnable from the beginning,” said Martin Stefen, a 78-year-old Republican who lives in Carson City, Nevada.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2023

It has one of the highest Indigenous populations in Australia, but from the start of the campaign it's been labelled as an unwinnable state.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2023

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com