Word
unaccountable
Phoneticsun·ac·count·able
US/ˌənəˈkaʊntəbəɫ/
UK/ʌnɐkˈaʊntəbəl/
Definition
adj. impossible to explain or understand. You use it for strange feelings, delays, or behaviour that have no clear reason.
adj. impossible to explain or account for by reason or evidence. Often describes feelings, absences, or delays that lack an obvious cause.
Examples
“She feels an unaccountable fear of open water.”
“The train has an unaccountable delay and nobody at the station knows why.”
“Historians noted an unaccountable gap in the letters from 1916, with no record of where he lived that winter.”
Examples
simple
“She feels an unaccountable fear of open water.”
contextual
“The train has an unaccountable delay and nobody at the station knows why.”
complex
“Historians noted an unaccountable gap in the letters from 1916, with no record of where he lived that winter.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “unaccountable” in context.
Verb
01. appear unaccountable
“The decision to close the library appears completely unaccountable to residents.”
verb + adj
02. remain unaccountable
“Despite the inquiry, several long delays remain unaccountable.”
verb + adj
03. seem unaccountable
“His refusal to help his oldest friend seems quite unaccountable.”
verb + adj
04. unaccountable behaviour
“His unaccountable behaviour worried his family and colleagues.”
adj + noun
05. unaccountable delay
“The flight suffered an unaccountable delay of over six hours.”
adj + noun
Adjective
06. strangely unaccountable
“He felt a strangely unaccountable anxiety before the interview.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. unaccountable absence from
“Her unaccountable absence from work prompted a welfare check.”
adj + noun + prep
08. unaccountable anxiety about
“He felt an unaccountable anxiety about the routine medical check.”
adj + noun + prep
09. a strangely unaccountable feeling
“He woke with a strangely unaccountable feeling that something was wrong.”
10. an unaccountable delay in proceedings
“An unaccountable delay in proceedings left both lawyers frustrated.”
11. for some unaccountable reason
“For some unaccountable reason, she burst into tears during the meeting.”
12. seem quite unaccountable to others
“Her sudden change of attitude seems quite unaccountable to others.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies.
Etymology
From un- + accountable.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
ADJECTIVE
Related words
- 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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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unaccountable