English Reference
Adjective

unimaginable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌənɪˈmædʒɪnəbəɫ/ UK /ˌʌnɪmˈædʒɪnəbəl/ unimag·in·able

adj.impossible to think of or imagine because it is so extreme, big, or unusual. You use this when something is so different from your life that you cannot picture it.

adj.impossible to comprehend or conceive of mentally. Often used to describe extreme scales of suffering, wealth, or complexity that exceed ordinary human experience.


SIMPLE

The scale of the disaster was unimaginable.

CONTEXTUAL

Living in a world without the internet is almost unimaginable for the younger generation.

COMPLEX

The explorers faced unimaginable hardships as they trekked across the frozen wasteland with dwindling supplies and no hope of rescue.

Usage

Often used to modify nouns representing abstract concepts like 'wealth', 'pain', 'cruelty', or 'beauty'.

The technical tools available to the modern forecaster would have been unimaginable to Stagg.

Phys.org· 7 Sept 2026

He asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss”.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated