ENGLISH
REFERENCE

unforgivable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌənfɔɹˈɡɪvəbəɫ// UK //ʌnfəɡˈɪvəbəl// un·for·giv·able

adj. so bad or hurtful that you cannot forgive it. You use this to describe an action that is impossible to excuse.

adj. describing an action or behaviour so offensive or harmful that it cannot be excused or pardoned.


SIMPLE

Being late for your own wedding is unforgivable.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager felt that lying about the safety reports was an unforgivable breach of trust.

COMPLEX

While minor errors in judgment are expected in high-pressure roles, the deliberate concealment of financial losses was considered an unforgivable failure of leadership by the board.

Synonyms
Usage

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

© 2026 English Reference