Unimaginable Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
๐คฏ
unimaginable
[หสnษชหmadสษชnษbl ]
Definition
adjective to describe something beyond imagination
Not able to be imagined or grasped mentally; extremely unusual or extraordinary.
Synonyms
inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unfathomable, unthinkable.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| unimaginable |
Used for scenarios that go beyond what one can mentally picture or conceptualize.
|
| inconceivable |
Often used when something is so unlikely or out of the realm of possible thought.
|
| unthinkable |
Used for situations or actions that are so shocking or unacceptable that they are beyond consideration.
|
| unfathomable |
Used when something is too complex or mysterious to understand, often in a profound or serious context.
|
| unbelievable |
Generally used for something that seems too strange or extreme to be true.
|
| incredible |
Typically used to describe something so extraordinary that it's hard to believe.
|
Examples of usage
- His success was unimaginable just a few years ago.
- The scale of the destruction was unimaginable.
- I find it unimaginable that they would lie to us.
- The beauty of the landscape was simply unimaginable.
- The complexity of the task was unimaginable.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Interesting Facts
Literature
- Many dystopian novels explore unimaginable futures, allowing readers to confront fears of what might come, such as George Orwell's '1984.'
- In 'A Wrinkle in Time,' the unimaginable becomes a device for exploring complex ideas about time and space.
- Authors like H.G. Wells used the notion of the unimaginable to bring forth science fiction elements that challenge reality.
Psychology
- Cognitive psychology studies how our brains struggle with concepts that defy normal understanding, like infinity or multiverse theories.
- The limits of human imagination can affect creativity, with some theories suggesting that pushing boundaries leads to breakthroughs.
- Child development shows that as children grow, their capacity to think of unimaginable things enhances, shaping abstract thinking.
Art
- Conceptual art often challenges viewers by presenting ideas that are purposefully beyond ordinary understanding, invoking strong emotional responses.
- Artists like Salvador Dalรญ made use of the unimaginable to create dreamlike landscapes that defy logic and provoke thought.
- Surrealism in general celebrates the unimaginable, inviting viewers into a world that transcends reality and taps into the subconscious.
Science
- In physics, concepts such as black holes and quantum mechanics often defy imagination, prompting scientific inquiry and theories.
- Astrophysics proposes scenarios that can be seen as unimaginable, such as the concept of parallel universes and time travel.
- The idea of the 'Big Bang' challenges the limits of imagination, as it describes the universe's origin from a singularity, a point of infinite density.
Origin of 'unimaginable'
Main points about word origin
- The word combines 'un-' meaning 'not' with 'imaginable,' which refers to the ability to form mental images.
- It emerged in the English language in the late 19th century, reflecting evolving thought on human capacity to conceive ideas.
- Similar concepts appear in other languages, such as the French 'inimaginable' and Spanish 'inimaginable,' showing a common human experience.
The word 'unimaginable' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' or 'opposite of', and 'imaginable' derived from 'imagine', which comes from the Middle English 'ymagen', from Old French 'imaginer', from Latin 'imaginari' meaning 'to picture to oneself'. The concept of something being unimaginable suggests a level of beyond comprehension or mental visualization, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of the subject.
See also: imaginary, imagination, imaginative, imaginatively, imagineer, imagining, reimagine, reimagining, unimaginability, unimaginableness, unimaginably, unimaginative, unimaginatively.