Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [in-skroo-tuh-buh l]
- /ɪnˈskru tə bəl/
- /ɪnˈskruː.tɪ.bl̩/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [in-skroo-tuh-buh l]
- /ɪnˈskru tə bəl/
Definitions of inscrutable word
- adjective inscrutable incapable of being investigated, analyzed, or scrutinized; impenetrable. 1
- adjective inscrutable not easily understood; mysterious; unfathomable: an inscrutable smile. 1
- adjective inscrutable incapable of being seen through physically; physically impenetrable: the inscrutable depths of the ocean. 1
- noun inscrutable Impossible to understand or interpret. 1
- adjective inscrutable impenetrable, unknowable 1
- adjective inscrutable If a person or their expression is inscrutable, it is very hard to know what they are really thinking or what they mean. 0
Information block about the term
Origin of inscrutable
First appearance:
before 1400 One of the 24% oldest English words
First recorded in 1400-50; late Middle English word from Late Latin word inscrūtābilis. See in-3, scrutable
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Inscrutable
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
inscrutable popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 66% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
inscrutable usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for inscrutable
adj inscrutable
- impenetrable — not penetrable; that cannot be penetrated, pierced, entered, etc.
- unintelligible — not intelligible; not capable of being understood.
- incomprehensible — impossible to understand or comprehend; unintelligible.
- unfathomable — not able to be fathomed, or completely understood; incomprehensible: heroism in the face of unfathomable conflict.
- ambiguous — If you describe something as ambiguous, you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way.
adjective inscrutable
- enigmatic — Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious.
- mysterious — full of, characterized by, or involving mystery: a mysterious occurrence.
- indecipherable — not decipherable; illegible.
- hidden — concealed; obscure; covert: hidden meaning; hidden hostility.
Antonyms for inscrutable
adj inscrutable
- comprehensible — Something that is comprehensible can be understood.
- intelligible — capable of being understood; comprehensible; clear: an intelligible response.
- fathomable — a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 meters): used chiefly in nautical measurements. Abbreviation: fath.
- obvious — easily seen, recognized, or understood; open to view or knowledge; evident: an obvious advantage.
- clear — Something that is clear is easy to understand, see, or hear.
adjective inscrutable
- transparent — having the property of transmitting rays of light through its substance so that bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen.
- evident — Plain or obvious; clearly seen or understood.
Top questions with inscrutable
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See also
Matching words
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