unimaginable

unimaginable — adjective

1. so extreme in size, degree, or quality that you cannot form a clear picture of i

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

so extreme in size, degree, or quality that you cannot form a clear picture of it in your mind; beyond what your mind can deal with or accept

Example

For Ayesha, leaving her village was unimaginable — it had been her home for forty years.

pattern: [subject] + be + unimaginable

The cost of the new hospital reached an unimaginable sum of fifty million dollars.

collocation: unimaginable + noun (sum / amount / scale)

Common collocations
  • unimaginable + suffering / pain / cruelty / horror
  • unimaginable + wealth / riches / luxury
  • unimaginable + scale / size / extent / magnitude
  • almost / nearly / quite + unimaginable
  • find it unimaginable (that)…
Synonyms
  • inconceivable

    more formal; often used in abstract or philosophical contexts (e.g. 'inconceivable that the universe had no beginning')

  • unthinkable

    stronger moral or emotional tone; often implies the idea should not even be considered (e.g. 'unthinkable to betray a friend')

  • unbelievable

    less formal and more common; can be used for both positive and negative surprises (e.g. 'unbelievable talent')

Antonyms
  • imaginable

    direct opposite; often used in the phrase 'every imaginable…' to mean all possible kinds

  • conceivable

    closely related antonym; suggests something can be understood or pictured within the limits of human thought

Usage Note

Commonly used with intensifiers such as 'almost', 'nearly', or 'quite'. Often appears before nouns describing extreme conditions, quantities, or moral situations (pain, wealth, cruelty, destruction, scale).

Common Mistakes

This cake tastes unimaginable.
This cake tastes incredible.
unimaginable is not used for everyday opinions about food; it signals a degree of shock or awe beyond normal experience.
I had an unimaginable dream last night.
I had a strange dream last night.
unimaginable implies something so extreme it is hard to believe exists, not merely unusual.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something outside normal expectation, but they differ in tone and use. 'unimaginable' emphasizes the failure of the mind to form a picture — it applies to scale, horror, or beauty that exceeds everyday reference points ('unimaginable destruction'). 'inconceivable' is more intellectual and formal; it questions whether something can be logically grasped ('it is inconceivable that the data was fabricated'). 'unthinkable' carries moral weight — it suggests the idea is so disturbing or wrong that one refuses to entertain it ('it was unthinkable to deny her medical care'). 'unbelievable' is the most casual and widely used; it can cover amazement or skepticism ('his recovery was unbelievable'), but it lacks the gravity of the other three. If you want to stress that something is too vast or extreme for the mind to contain, choose 'unimaginable'; if you want to stress moral outrage, choose 'unthinkable'.

inconceivable ↗unthinkableunbelievable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • beyond imagining
  • almost beyond belief

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in early 17th-century English by adding the negative prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to 'imaginable', which came from Latin 'imaginabilis' ('that can be pictured in the mind'), itself from 'imago' ('image, likeness'). The word has carried its core meaning of 'beyond what the mind can picture' since it first appeared.