inexplicable
adjective
in·ex·pli·ca·ble
ˌi-nik-ˈspli-kə-bəl 
(ˌ)i-ˈnek-(ˌ)spli-
(ˌ)i-ˈnek-(ˌ)spli-
: incapable of being explained, interpreted, or accounted for
an inexplicable disappearance
Examples of inexplicable in a Sentence
He had a series of seemingly inexplicable accidents.
an inexplicable desire for ice cream at two in the morning
Recent Examples on the Web
These were really dramatic, inexplicable, but occasional events.
—
Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
There are a handful of grand gestures thrown in for good measure, from recurring comic bits (the associate principal has a bad habit of getting nosebleeds at the worst possible moment) to not one but two inexplicable interpretive-dance vignettes.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2025
This was the country’s deadliest air crash since 2001, and the tragedy seemed inexplicable, given how unusual such civilian air accidents have become.
—Barbara Peterson, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2025
With action springing from the investigation of a high school girl’s mysterious murder in a Washington lumber mill town, the weekly ABC show plumbed disquieting, theretofore taboo subject matter and made the inexplicable a fixture of modern narrative television.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for inexplicable 
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.
Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
There are a handful of grand gestures thrown in for good measure, from recurring comic bits (the associate principal has a bad habit of getting nosebleeds at the worst possible moment) to not one but two inexplicable interpretive-dance vignettes.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2025
This was the country’s deadliest air crash since 2001, and the tragedy seemed inexplicable, given how unusual such civilian air accidents have become.
—Barbara Peterson, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2025
With action springing from the investigation of a high school girl’s mysterious murder in a Washington lumber mill town, the weekly ABC show plumbed disquieting, theretofore taboo subject matter and made the inexplicable a fixture of modern narrative television.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for inexplicable
Articles Related to inexplicable
Dictionary Entries Near inexplicable
Cite this Entry
“Inexplicable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inexplicable. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inexplicable
adjective
in·ex·pli·ca·ble
ˌin-ik-ˈsplik-ə-bəl
(ˈ)in-ˈek-(ˌ)splik-
(ˈ)in-ˈek-(ˌ)splik-
: impossible to explain
an inexplicable mystery
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share