UNINTELLIGIBLE Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

unintelligible

adjective

ˌən-in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl

Definition of unintelligible

as in incomprehensible

impossible to understand uttered only a string of unintelligible murmurs

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unintelligible Incomplete, corrupted, untimely, or unintelligible Submissions or Submission Forms will be disqualified. — August 16, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 When the surveillance footage resumes about an hour later, a man can be heard shouting, but the words are unintelligible, and a vehicle horn sounds. — Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 Claypool’s voice, formerly a sharp and declarative figure in the mix, slinks down into silty waters, often unintelligible and almost always emotionally ambiguous. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026 The world premiere on Sunday – in the presence of Illumination boss Chris Meledandri and director Pierre Coffin, who is also the origin of the minions’ unintelligible chatter – kicks off one of the biggest Annecy Film Festival’s yet. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unintelligible

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligible

Adjective

Stanton’s confession ends up being incomprehensible to anyone but himself—an irony that McCarthy, with his partiality for secret codes, seems to take great pleasure in.

— Max Callimanopulos, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
Sure, the story is incomprehensible, and Dylan is far from a great actor.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of incomprehensible

Adjective

All the power of the government — investigative, technological, legal — has been thrown at finding these mysterious, diabolically clever ballot baddies.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
After all, what better place to reveal the mysterious professor’s identity than in the very magazine responsible for making the fictional detective an international sensation?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

Colette, our winsome young narrator played by Sophia Anne Caruso, will soon go on to provide a bit of explanation that only makes things more confusing.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Here are the top 6 confusing things about El Niño, as relayed to CNN via meteorologists and climate scientists.

— Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of confusing

Adjective

Superposition is an uncanny aspect of quantum mechanics that allows particles to be in multiple states at once—such as literally here and there simultaneously.

— Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Cops released surveillance photos of the shooter, whose getup bore an uncanny resemblance to the Marvel character Deadpool.

— Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of uncanny

Adjective

The cryptic eco-disaster project will represent a loss of hundreds of millions when all is said and done.

— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Emanuel’s cryptic comment comes amid claims that Meghan was in early talks to star in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

Allow a chess player who’s a nerd to find some references in Wu… Iron Man was kind of esoteric.

— John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 16 Oct. 2026
There’s as much effort gone into the food as there is the drinks menu, and the esoteric array of tropical flavors straddles both impressively.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of esoteric

Adjective

But the Broncos aren’t just about putting the ball in the back of the net — their defense has allowed just six goals all season and is led by near-impenetrable sophomore goalkeeper Ava de Leest.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Oct. 2026
Even top experts have found OpenAI’s proof of blowup to be completely impenetrable.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of impenetrable

Adjective

Taken together, these two mistakes represented an almost-unfathomable breach of basic diligence.

— Daniel Duane, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026
The Baltimore Ravens were in a goal-to-go setting, trailing 23-15 and needing to do the statistically unfathomable — according to CBS, teams behind by 8-plus points inside the final minute had lost 581 straight games.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026