inimitable
adjective
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How Should You Use inimitable?
Something that is inimitable is, literally, not able to be imitated. In actual usage the word describes things so uniquely extraordinary as to not be copied or equaled, which is why you often hear it used to praise outstanding talents or performances (or uniquely talented and incomparable individuals). (The less common antonym imitable describes things that are common or ordinary and could easily be replicated.) Inimitable comes, via Middle English, from the Latin adjective inimitabilis. Be careful not to confuse it with inimical or inimicable, two adjectives meaning “hostile” or “harmful”; those words come from a different Latin root.
Synonyms of inimitable
Examples of inimitable in a Sentence
Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
The Secret Agent’s primary setting is a house full of misfits and refugees in the northeastern city of Recife, a safe harbor from those persecuted by the country’s military regime, ruled over by the inimitable Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria, whose role was written specifically for her).
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Her inimitable comedic timing gave rise to an extraordinary and varied career that gave audiences roles like Kate McCallister in Home Alone, Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek, Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Patty Leigh in The Studio.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 31 Jan. 2026
Appropriately, Stromberg’s henchman is named Jaws, played by the inimitable Richard Kiel, whose metal teeth and imposing physique make for some of the franchise’s most memorable fight scenes.
—Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Inimitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inimitable. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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inimitable
adjective
