unspeakable

CEFRB2

/əˈnspikəbəl/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Too terrible or shocking to describe in words.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Impossible to speak about.

Examples

  • Fadil forced Dania to perform unspeakable acts on him.

  • Police encountered a scene of unspeakable carnage.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
4
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings
  1. Unfit or not permitted to be spoken or described.

  2. Incapable of being spoken or uttered.

  3. Extremely bad or objectionable.

More examples

In context
  • 1855-1882, Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, book xv, The endless pride and outstretching of man, unspeakable joys and sorrows.

  • an unspeakable fool

  • an unspeakable play

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank cruelty of the war was so severe that survivors refused to discuss it.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English unspekable, equivalent to un- + speakable.