incomprehensible

adjective

in·​com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl 

1

: impossible to comprehend : unintelligible

incomprehensible instructions

2

archaic : having or subject to no limits

incomprehensibility

(ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˌhen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

incomprehensibleness noun

incomprehensibly

(ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• impenetrable
• unfathomable
• ungraspable
• unintelligible

Examples of incomprehensible in a Sentence

I found his behavior utterly incomprehensible.

It's incomprehensible to me that he could have acted that way.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nor is the concern that Biden’s stumbling, at times incomprehensible, performance has ensured a second Trump term. —Luke McGee, CNN, 30 June 2024

Trump’s own rambling sentences seemed less shocking compared to Biden’s sometimes incomprehensible answers. —Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post, 28 June 2024

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the global press focused on a very tough night for the Democratic candidate, who failed to land meaty blows and at times rambled to the point of being incomprehensible, once again raising concerns about his age. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 June 2024

The rules and norms were incomprehensible to me—from everything that goes on during sorority rush to how my pageant queen roommate somehow always had the perfect powdered face of makeup. —Lane Scott Jones, Longreads, 25 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin incomprehensibilis, from in- + comprehensibilis comprehensible

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

incomprehensible

adjective

in·​com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl 

: impossible to understand

found their behavior incomprehensible

incomprehensibility

-ˌhen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

incomprehensibly

-ˈhen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb