English Reference

Word

unbreakable

Phoneticsun·break·able

US/ənˈbɹeɪkəbəɫ/

UK/ʌnbɹˈeɪkəbəl/

Definition

adj. impossible to break or destroy. You use this to describe things that are very strong or relationships that cannot be ruined.

adj. incapable of being broken, fractured, or destroyed. Often used figuratively to describe abstract concepts like bonds, spirits, or records.

Examples

“The screen is made of unbreakable glass.”

“After twenty years of working together, the two business partners shared an unbreakable bond of trust.”

“The athlete set an unbreakable record that stood for decades, defying every attempt by younger competitors to surpass his legendary performance.”

Examples

simple

“The screen is made of unbreakable glass.”

contextual

“After twenty years of working together, the two business partners shared an unbreakable bond of trust.”

complex

“The athlete set an unbreakable record that stood for decades, defying every attempt by younger competitors to surpass his legendary performance.”

Usage

Typically used as a gradable adjective, though in a strict physical sense it functions as an absolute quality.

Etymology

From un- + break + -able.

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

The word in film

Unbreakable · 2000 · Mystery

Directed by:
M. Night Shyamalan
Starring:
Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly

Director M. Night Shyamalan tells the story of a security guard who miraculously survives a deadly train crash without a single scratch on his body. The mystery explores the idea that this ordinary man might possess a physical strength that is completely impossible to destroy.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/unbreakable

English Reference