inconceivable

adjective

in·​con·​ceiv·​able ˌin-kən-ˈsē-və-bəl How to pronounce inconceivable (audio)
: not conceivable: such as
b
: impossible to comprehend
inconceivability noun
inconceivableness noun
inconceivably adverb

Examples of inconceivable in a Sentence

The fire caused an inconceivable amount of damage. After coming this far, to quit now would be inconceivable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In terms of achievements that were once equally preposterous and inconceivable 30 years ago, TCU reaching the Sweet 16 in women’s basketball is on the same level as the school making the national title game in football. Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2025 In fact, the superstructure is estimated to hold an almost inconceivable 200 quadrillion (that's 200 followed by 15 zeros) times the mass of the sun and is more than 1.3 billion light-years long, larger than the Milky Way. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025 The wave has since been estimated by some in the Mavericks Rescue Team to be an almost inconceivable 108 feet tall, which would make it by far the biggest ever surfed and the first to break the near-mythical 100-foot barrier. Duncan Madden, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 Right now, though, a coherent A.I. policy seems well-nigh inconceivable. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inconceivable

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inconceivable was in 1624

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Cite this Entry

“Inconceivable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inconceivable. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

inconceivable

adjective
in·​con·​ceiv·​able ˌin-kən-ˈsē-və-bəl How to pronounce inconceivable (audio)
: impossible to imagine or believe
inconceivably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inconceivable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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