Word
invisible
Phoneticsin·vis·i·ble, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəɫ/
UK/ɪnvˈɪzəbəl/
Definitions
01cannot be seen
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. impossible to see with your eyes.
adj. incapable of being perceived by sight; not visible to the eye.
“Oxygen is an invisible gas that we all need to breathe.”
“The bacteria were invisible to the naked eye, requiring a high-powered microscope for any meaningful observation.”
02ignored by society
C1 · Advanced Psychology Academic
adj. used to describe people or problems that are ignored or not noticed by society.
adj. metaphorically applied to individuals or social issues that are systematically ignored or marginalised by the dominant culture.
“Many homeless people feel invisible when they walk through the city.”
“The report highlights the plight of invisible workers in the gig economy who lack basic legal protections and social recognition.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03hidden online status
B2 · Upper Intermediate Computing
adj. appearing to be offline on a chat app or website even though you are actually using it.
adj. pertaining to a user status in instant messaging or social media that conceals the user's active presence from others.
“I stayed invisible on the chat app so I could finish my work without being interrupted.”
“By setting her status to invisible, she was able to monitor the group discussion without being prompted to participate.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “invisible” in context.
Verb
01. become invisible
“As the fog thickened, the distant mountain peaks slowly became invisible.”
verb + adj
02. render something invisible
“The new stealth technology aims to render the aircraft invisible to enemy radar systems.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
03. invisible hand
“Economists often refer to the invisible hand of the market when discussing how supply and demand regulate prices.”
adj + noun
04. invisible ink
“The spies used invisible ink to pass secret messages that could only be read under ultraviolet light.”
adj + noun
05. invisible to the naked eye
“Microscopic organisms are invisible to the naked eye and require specialized equipment to be seen.”
adj + prep + adj + noun
Adverb
06. remain invisible
“Despite their significant contributions to the project, the research assistants often remain invisible in the final reports.”
verb + adj
07. virtually invisible
“The contact lenses are virtually invisible once they are placed on the eye.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“Beethoven’s merry peasants inspired some rougher edges, but nothing exceeding good clean fun, while Dudamel bounced on the spot as if on an invisible pogo stick.” “John Smart, a non-academic futurist who describes his work as “acceleration studies”, calls this the “transcension hypothesis”: aliens are invisible to us because they have transcended bodily existence as we currently understand it.” “These previously invisible vortices may twist magnetic fields and help build up the energy released in small solar eruptions called nanoflares.” “An invisible mass alters the orbit of a comet; dark energy affects the acceleration of a supernova; the earth’s magnetic field tugs on birds, butterflies, sea turtles, and the compasses of mariners.” Etymology
From Middle English invisible, from Old French invisible, from Late Latin invīsibilis. Displaced native Old English unġesewenlīċ. Morphologically in- + visible.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
In Literature
Cover: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — Dust jacket designed by E. McKnight Kauffer. Published by Random House.
Invisible Man · 1952-04-14 · African american literature, bildungsroman
- Author:
- Ralph Ellison
Ralph Ellison’s 1952 masterpiece follows an unnamed Black protagonist navigating a racially divided America. The title refers to the character’s feeling that people refuse to truly see him as a human being due to their own prejudices. Throughout the story, he struggles to find his own identity in a society that treats him as if he were physically not there.
Domains
- 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
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/invisible