unendurable

adjective

un·​en·​dur·​able ˌən-in-ˈdu̇r-ə-bəl How to pronounce unendurable (audio)
-ˈdyu̇r-,
-en-
: too unpleasant, painful, or difficult to accept or endure : not endurable : unbearable
unendurable suffering
… periods of unendurable stress and desperation.Oliver Sacks
unendurably
ˌən-in-ˈdu̇r-ə-blē How to pronounce unendurable (audio)
-ˈdyu̇r-
-en-
adverb
an unendurably boring speech
unendurableness noun

Examples of unendurable in a Sentence

people used to travel along this stretch of the highway by night so as to avoid the unendurable heat of the day
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Promises her who knows what, seeing that she’s got to drink herself to oblivion constantly and choke down pills for her unendurable pain. Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024 The 23-year-old captive’s parents showed all the anguish and anxiety that would befall anyone in their unendurable position. Noah Rothman, National Review, 3 Sep. 2024 Both Nelson Mandela and John McCain said being placed in solitary was more painful and unendurable than any of the physical tortures their jailors imposed. Dr. James Gilligan, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2024 Conversations attempted in line for the Berghain toilets have a success rate of about 25 percent, some of which must be attributed to one party’s desire to join the other in their stall, to more quickly put an end to the unendurable wait. Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unendurable 

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unendurable was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near unendurable

Cite this Entry

“Unendurable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unendurable. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on unendurable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!