unspeakable
adjective
un·speak·able
ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl 
1
a
: incapable of being expressed in words : unutterable
… each heaved a sigh of unspeakable relief.—
Frank Norris
Frank Norris
b
: inexpressibly bad : horrendous
unspeakable living conditions
unspeakable evil
2
: that may not or cannot be spoken
… the bawdy thoughts that come into one's head—the unspeakable words …—L. P. Smith
L. P. Smithunspeakable collections of consonants—Rosemary Jellis
Rosemary JellisExamples of unspeakable in a Sentence
the unspeakable horror of war
continually encountered unspeakable beauty in their travels through the Alps
Recent Examples on the Web
The other is a patchy, unpersuasive psychodrama about the underlying motivations and years-later ramifications of an unspeakable act—or, in this case, an unrealized plan to commit an unspeakable act.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Then the studio structured trailers and marketing around an unspecified, unspeakable disclosure by Zendaya’s character that derails the wedding plans (and imperils the characters’ romantic union) to stoke maximum curiosity.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Mar. 2026
Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family.
—CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unspeakable
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Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Then the studio structured trailers and marketing around an unspecified, unspeakable disclosure by Zendaya’s character that derails the wedding plans (and imperils the characters’ romantic union) to stoke maximum curiosity.
—Chris Lee, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family.
—Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Mar. 2026
Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family.
—CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unspeakable
Cite this Entry
“Unspeakable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unspeakable. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unspeakable
adjective
un·speak·able
ˌən-ˈspē-kə-bəl
ˈən-
1
: impossible to express in words
unspeakable beauty of the sunset
2
: extremely bad
unspeakable conduct
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