1
as in dense
impossible to get through or into
the ancient temple was surrounded by vast stretches of impenetrable jungle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
the mysteries of that religion are completely impenetrable to outsiders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in incomprehensible
impossible to understand
the textbook's language is completely impenetrable, at least to me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in tight
not allowing penetration (as by gas, liquid, or light)
the container of toxic waste has an impenetrable seal to prevent leaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of impenetrable
For 82 games and three-plus playoff rounds, the bunker remained impenetrable.
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 June 2026
Which is okay, because the XLE serves as something of an impenetrable panic room and command center once parked.
—
New Atlas,
9 June 2026
Courtside, before a battle, Osaka’s deep colorways and the many translucent but somehow impenetrable layers of the vast floor-dragging skirt work as armor inspiring stone-cold dread in all prospective opponents.
—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Rake grounds into the upper soil layer to avoid creating an impenetrable mat on the soil surface.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impenetrable
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 June 2026
Which is okay, because the XLE serves as something of an impenetrable panic room and command center once parked.
—
New Atlas,
9 June 2026
Courtside, before a battle, Osaka’s deep colorways and the many translucent but somehow impenetrable layers of the vast floor-dragging skirt work as armor inspiring stone-cold dread in all prospective opponents.
—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Rake grounds into the upper soil layer to avoid creating an impenetrable mat on the soil surface.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impenetrable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impenetrable
Adjective
-
Videos of the pyrotechnics display show the pitch filling with tall showers of sparks and dense smoke as dozens of fireworks launched upward.
-
The rare Saturday night game at the iconic North Side ballpark started an hour late due to rain, then fog billowed in from the north starting in the second inning and got denser.
Adjective
-
Beulah's spurned heir Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba) calls up the mysterious Mariana (Raoul Max Trujillo) to help with his many problems, which include his ranch-usurping half-brother Rob-Will and those Duttons from Montana.
-
Nicolas Winding Refn’s audacious return to feature filmmaking is a gorgeous, mysterious act of cinema, sensorial and transgressive, that demands to be experienced on its own terms.
Adjective
-
There have been times when acts of atrocity have been going on — and gosh, some of those things are incomprehensible — yet humanity has found a way.
-
Being joyful there — in the Dominican Republic, where small shacks and houses pieced together by junkyard scraps sometimes hold families with over a dozen members — seems incomprehensible.
Adjective
-
With life spent largely on transit, navigating tight layovers, and using their days off to jet-set across the globe, flight attendants have mastered the art of packing.
-
Polls overall anticipate a tight race, including a June 19 survey by the news site Zeteo showing DeGette trailing Kiros 41% to 36%.
Adjective
-
Overloading Your Washer Even the softest of towels are not impervious to improper laundering, and overloading your washer or using too little water can affect how thoroughly the towels are washed.
-
Crafted from durable high-density polyethylene, these Adirondack chairs are resistant to corrosion and impervious to the elements.
Adjective
-
His doctors speculated his infection might have been a rare case of cryptic transmission from sharing meals and bathrooms with his coworkers, one of whom apparently had a tapeworm infection.
-
The Drama stirred debate on social media over its cryptic marketing campaign that did not directly divulge the main focus of the film.
Adjective
-
The world premiere on Sunday – in the presence of Illumination boss Chris Meledandri and director Pierre Coffin, who is also the origin of the minions’ unintelligible chatter – kicks off one of the biggest Annecy Film Festival’s yet.
-
The adversaries made for a striking scene, exchanging insults in mutually unintelligible languages in the dead of night.
Adjective
-
Chocolate brown stripes punctuate a light charcoal gray background, and the low-pile weave made from recycled polyester gives it an impermeable, easy-to-clean surface.
-
Needing to remain impermeable to everything that is said about him is another stylistic exercise built into the equation of being a global star.
Cite this Entry
“Impenetrable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impenetrable. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
