English Reference
Adjective

inexplicable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌɪnəksˈpɫɪsəbəɫ/ UK /ˌɪnɛksplˈɪkəbəl/ in·ex·pli·ca·ble UK spelling inexplicables

adj.impossible to explain or understand. You use this when something happens and there is no clear reason why.

adj.unable to be explained, accounted for, or understood through logic or reason. Often used to describe sudden changes in behavior or mysterious events.


SIMPLE

The car suddenly stopped for an inexplicable reason.

CONTEXTUAL

The team suffered an inexplicable loss despite being the heavy favorites to win the championship.

COMPLEX

The detective was haunted by the inexplicable disappearance of the witness, as there were no signs of a struggle and the security cameras showed nothing unusual.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'remain' or 'seem'.

It’s a decision that will no doubt please enemies of LGBTQ+ culture, but otherwise seems inexplicable.

The Guardian· 10 Sept 2026

Edney says the sequestering issue was an “inexplicable” and “still unexplained” failure that occurred in one of Victoria’s most high-profile criminal trials.

The Guardian· 19 Aug 2026

From Middle English inexplicable, from Middle French inexplicable, from Latin inexplicābilis, from in- (“not”) + explicābilis (“explicable”). By surface analysis, in- + explicable.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin inexplicābilis
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated