# inconceivable

/ˌɪnkənˈsivəbəɫ/ (US) · /ɪnkənsˈiːvəbəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inconceivable
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

impossible to imagine or believe. You use this when something is so strange or extreme that your mind cannot accept it as true.

For teachers: impossible to comprehend or grasp mentally; unthinkable. Often used to emphasize the extreme nature of a situation or a high degree of improbability.

## Examples

- It is inconceivable that he would lie to us.
- Before the invention of the internet, the idea of instant global communication was inconceivable to most people.
- The scale of the disaster was so vast that the total cost of reconstruction seemed inconceivable to the local government officials tasked with the recovery.

## Pitfalls

- Not "It is inconceivable for me that..." but "It is inconceivable to me that..." — When expressing who finds something impossible to believe, use the preposition 'to' rather than 'for'.

## Usage notes

- Typically used as a predicative adjective after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.