Word
impregnable
Phoneticsim·preg·nable
US/ˌɪmˈpɹɛɡnəbəɫ/
UK/ɪmpɹˈɛɡnəbəl/
Definition
adj. so strong that no one can break in, capture it, or defeat it. You use it for castles, walls, or teams that seem impossible to beat.
adj. incapable of being captured or broken into by force; completely secure against attack. Extended figuratively to positions, systems, or reputations that cannot be challenged or overcome.
Examples
“The old castle looks impregnable behind its high walls.”
“The home team built an impregnable defence that no opponent could break through all season.”
“Perched on sheer cliffs, the fortress remained impregnable for three centuries, its reputation alone deterring armies that might otherwise have tested its walls.”
Examples
simple
“The old castle looks impregnable behind its high walls.”
contextual
“The home team built an impregnable defence that no opponent could break through all season.”
complex
“Perched on sheer cliffs, the fortress remained impregnable for three centuries, its reputation alone deterring armies that might otherwise have tested its walls.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “impregnable” in context.
Verb
01. impregnable to attack
“The hilltop stronghold was impregnable to attack for centuries.”
adj + prep + noun
02. impregnable to criticism
“His reputation as a war hero seemed impregnable to criticism.”
adj + prep + noun
03. impregnable to defeat
“With that squad, the team looked impregnable to defeat.”
adj + prep + noun
04. make impregnable
“They mined the passes to make the valley impregnable.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. almost impregnable
“The fortress in the mountains was almost impregnable.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. impregnable defence
“They organized an impregnable defence around the goal.”
adj + noun
07. impregnable fortress
“The invaders failed to capture the impregnable fortress.”
adj + noun
08. impregnable stronghold
“The rebels retreated to their impregnable stronghold.”
adj + noun
09. impregnable wall
“A high, impregnable wall surrounded the old city.”
adj + noun
10. a seemingly impregnable barrier
“The Great Wall was seen as a seemingly impregnable barrier to invasion.”
11. an impregnable fortress
“The citadel became an impregnable fortress after reinforcements arrived.”
12. build an impregnable lead
“The team built an impregnable lead in the first half.”
Real-World Examples
“Over more than 10 years, Nvidia has built a nearly impregnable lead in producing chips that can perform complex A.I. tasks like image, facial and speech recognition, as well as generating text for chatbots like ChatGPT.” Etymology
From Late Middle English imprenable, impregnable (“impossible to capture, impregnable”), from Old French imprenable (modern French imprenable (“impregnable”)), from im- (a variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + prenable (“(military) of a building, position, etc.: takable”) (from prendre (“to take”) + -able (suffix meaning ‘creating an effect or influence’)). Prendre is derived from Latin prēndere, present active infinitive of prēndō, a variant of prehendō (“to catch, lay hold of; to grasp; to grab, snatch; to seize, take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to find; to hold; to seize, take”). The intrusive g in the English word was modelled after words like deign and reign.
PIE word *h₁én From impregnate (verb) + -able (suffix meaning ‘able or fit to be done’ forming adjectives). Impregnate is either derived from impregnate (“pregnant”, adjective), or from its etymon Medieval Latin or Late Latin impraegnātus (“made pregnant”), past participle of impraegnō (“to make pregnant”), from Latin im- (a variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’)) + praegnāre (“pregnant”) (from praegnāns, a variant of praegnās (“pregnant”), from prae- (prefix meaning ‘before; in front’) + gnāscor (archaic), nāscor (“to be born; to grow, spring forth; to arise, proceed”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- (“to beget; to give birth; to produce”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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