unbelievable
uhn-bih-LEE-vuhbl
Unbelievable (adj) means So surprising or extraordinary that it is hard to accept as true. Example: “The view from the summit was unbelievable.”
adj
1
So surprising or extraordinary that it is hard to accept as true.
"The view from the summit was unbelievable."
"It is unbelievable how quickly the children have grown this year."
"The comeback in the final minutes was simply unbelievable."
2
Not credible; hard to accept as genuine.
"Her account of the accident seemed unbelievable to the police."
"The witness's version of events was simply unbelievable, so nobody trusted it."
"His excuse for being late was frankly unbelievable."
How to use unbelievable
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither amazing beyond expectation, or simply not credible.
Common pairings
unbelievable performance
an unbelievable story
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like unbelievable.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more unbelievable, unbelievabler
- Superlative
- most unbelievable, unbelievablest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The view from the summit was _____.
Etymology
From un- + believable.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for unbelievable
See all rhymes for unbelievable →Frequently asked questions
What does “unbelievable” mean?
The word “unbelievable” means so surprising or extraordinary that it is hard to accept as true. In plain terms, either amazing beyond expectation, or simply not credible.
How do you pronounce “unbelievable”?
“Unbelievable” is pronounced uhn-bih-LEE-vuhbl (/ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “unbelievable” in a sentence?
Here is “unbelievable” used in a sentence: “The comeback in the final minutes was simply unbelievable.”
What part of speech is “unbelievable”?
“Unbelievable” is an adjective.
Is “unbelievable” a common word?
“Unbelievable” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “unbelievable” have?
“Unbelievable” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: so surprising or extraordinary that it is hard to accept as true.
Does "unbelievable" mean something good or bad?
It can be either — context decides. "Unbelievable" literally means so surprising or extraordinary that it is hard to accept as true, so it can express praise ("an unbelievable performance") or outrage ("unbelievable rudeness"), and it can also flag that a claim simply is not credible.
What is the difference between "unbelievable" and "incredible"?
Both literally mean "hard to believe", but in everyday use "incredible" now leans strongly toward admiration, while "unbelievable" is used for both amazement and outrage. "Unbelievable" is also the more common choice when genuinely doubting a claim, as in "his excuse was unbelievable."
How do you spell it — "unbelievable" or "unbelieveable"?
The correct spelling is "unbelievable", with no "e" before "-able". Like "believable", it drops the final silent "e" of "believe" when the suffix is added; "unbelieveable" is a common misspelling.
What should you say instead of "unbelievable" in formal writing?
When you mean a claim is literally not credible, formal alternatives include "implausible" and "not credible", which sound more measured. The exclamatory use of "unbelievable!" is conversational, so formal prose usually explains precisely why something strains belief instead.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include unbelievable:
