the unthinkable

noun

: something that one cannot accept, believe, or imagine
especially : something that is so bad that one does not want to think about it
And then, the unthinkable happened: the car skidded out of control and crashed.

Examples of the unthinkable in a Sentence

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As a man trying to live intentionally in the face of the unthinkable. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026 The Patriots were only up by four points, expecting their dreams to be crushed, but then the unthinkable happened — all thanks to undrafted rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler. Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026 Seconds later, the unthinkable happened. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026 An obsessive Wu-Tang Clan fanboy in his teens in the 90s, Cilvaringz managed to achieve the unthinkable and, through relentless hustle, hard work and determination, work his way into the group’s inner circle, touring the world with his hero and mentor RZA. Alex Ritman, Variety, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the unthinkable

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Cite this Entry

“The unthinkable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20unthinkable. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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