Inexplicability: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this term when referring to the characteristic of something that cannot be explained or understood.

• The inexplicability of the phenomenon baffled scientists for years

Suitable for describing something that is unknown or not fully understood, typically used in everyday language and often in stories or situations that require solving a puzzle.

• The sudden disappearance of the ship remains a mystery to this day

This term is less common and can be used in formal contexts to describe the quality of being unexplainable or not understandable.

• The unexplainableness of his actions left his friends and family bewildered

Appropriate when describing something or someone that is puzzling or difficult to understand, often with a sense of intrigue.

• The ancient manuscript was an enigma that historians struggled to decipher