Impenetrable

Definitions: Impenetrable

Impenetrable

Adjective

1. Not admitting of penetration or passage into or through; "an impenetrable fortress"; "impenetrable rain forests".

2. Permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter; "dense smoke"; "heavy fog"; "impenetrable gloom".

3. Impossible to understand; "impenetrable jargon".

Date "impenetrable" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1321. (references)

Synonyms: Impenetrable

Synonyms: dense (adj), heavy (adj). (additional references)

Antonym: penetrable (adj). (additional references)

Context	Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).
Closure	Unpierced, imporous, caecal; closable; imperforate, impervious, impermeable; impenetrable; impassable, unpassable; invious; pathless, wayless; untrodden, untrod.
Density	Adjective: dense, solid; solidified. Verb: caseous; pukka; coherent, cohesive; compact, close, serried, thickset; substantial, massive, lumpish; impenetrable, impermeable, nonporous, imporous; incompressible; constipated; concrete. (hard); knotted, knotty; gnarled; crystalline, crystallizable; thick, grumous, stuffy.
Latency Implication	Unapparent, unknown, unseen; in the background; invisible; indiscoverable, dark; impenetrable; (unintelligible); unspied, unsuspected.
Safety	Defensible, tenable, proof against, invulnerable; unassailable, unattackable, impenetrable; impregnable, imperdible; inexpugnable; Achillean.
Unintelligibility	Adjective: unintelligible, unaccountable, undecipherable, undiscoverable, unknowable, unfathomable; incognizable, inexplicable, inscrutable; inapprehensible, incomprehensible; insolvable, insoluble; impenetrable.
Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

Crosswords: Impenetrable

English words defined with "impenetrable": Cannon proof, Crataegus monogyna ♦ English hawthorn ♦ Impenetrably, Impierceable, iron curtain ♦ jungle ♦ mangrove, myrtle oak ♦ Quercus myrtifolia ♦ Rhizophora mangle ♦ Searchless, seaside scrub oak, Shot-proof, smother, Solid square ♦ To be wrapped up in ♦ Unpenetrable ♦ Wild Spaniard. (references)

Specialty definitions using "impenetrable": Plague ♦ ultimatum. (references)

Etymologies containing "impenetrable": Impierceable. (references)

Non-English Usage: "Impenetrable" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses.

Spanish (impenetrable, impenetrably, impervious, inscrutable, unpenetrable).

Domain	Usage
Screenplays	He's simply impenetrable to psychological testing. (Red Dragon; writing credit: Ted Tally)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Domain	Title
Books	Camino desde la marginaci�n-- a la libertad : testimonio de una vida de promoci�n entre los abor�genes wichi del area El Sauzalito del impenetrable chaque�o, Chaco, Argentina, 1971 - 1994 (reference) Lo impenetrable (reference) Schizophrenia from a Neurocognitive Perspective: Probing the Impenetrable Darkness (reference) The Impenetrable Forest (reference) The Impenetrable Madam X (Latin American Literature and Culture) (reference) (more book examples)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	Nearly impenetrable trees and vines confronted Coast Surveyors in many areas.Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Author	Quotation
Iris Murdoch	Bereavement is a darkness impenetrable to the imagination of the unbereaved.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Title	Author	Quote
A Christmas Carol	Dickens, Charles	It was not in impenetrable shadow as the other objects in the yard were, but had a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar.
Les Miserables	Hugo, Victor	Nothing was left upon this face, simple and impenetrable as granite, except a gloomy sadness.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Subject	Topic	Quote
Lexicography	Devil's Dictionary	ULTIMATUM, n. In diplomacy, a last demand before resorting to concessions. Having received an ultimatum from Austria, the Turkish Ministry met to consider it. "O servant of the Prophet," said the Sheik of the Imperial Chibouk to the Mamoosh of the Invincible Army, "how many unconquerable soldiers have we in arms?" "Upholder of the Faith," that dignitary replied after examining his memoranda, "they are in numbers as the leaves of the forest!" "And how many impenetrable battleships strike terror to the hearts of all Christian swine?" he asked the Imaum of the Ever Victorious Navy. "Uncle of the Full Moon," was the reply, "deign to know that they are as the waves of the ocean, the sands of the desert and the stars of Heaven!" For eight hours the broad brow of the Sheik of the Imperial Chibouk was corrugated with evidences of deep thought: he was calculating the chances of war. Then, "Sons of angels," he said, "the die is cast! I shall suggest to the Ulema of the Imperial Ear that he advise inaction. In the name of Allah, the council is adjourned."
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Speaker	Phrase(s)
Rush Limbaugh	In recent years, our country has experienced unprecedented prosperity and, with the end of the Cold War, the illusion of impenetrable borders.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

"Impenetrable" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Impenetrable" is used about 196 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)

Parts of Speech	Percent	Usage per 100 Million Words	Rank in English
Adjective (general or positive)	100%	196	21,868

Expression using "impenetrable": impenetrable darkness. Additional references.
Hypenated Usage
	Ending with "impenetrable": near-impenetrable.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Language		Translations for "impenetrable"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Albanian		i papërshkueshëm (hermetic, impermeable, impervious), i pakuptueshëm (abstruse, elusive, fathomless, illegible, impalpable, inapprehensible, incomprehensible, intangible, obscure, thick, unattainable, unclear, unintelligible, unknowable, unmeaning, unsearchable), i pakalueshëm (impassable, inaccessible, indeclinable, irreducible, overwhelming, second to none, unimpeded, unscalable), i padepërtueshëm (impermeable, inscrutable, opaque, tight, unfathomable, unpenetrable). (various references)

Arabic		‏منيع (forbidding, immune, impervious, impregnable, inexpugnable, invincible, invulnerable, secure, strong, unapproachable), ‏مستغلق (illegible), ‏مبهم (abstruse, ambiguous, cryptic, dark, dim, enigmatic, equivocal, hazy, incomprehensible, inscrutable, misty, mysterious, mystic, obscure, recondite, unclear, unfathomable, unintelligible, vague), ‏لا ينفذ (unrealizable), ‏لا سبيل إلى فهمه, ‏غير قابل للاختراق, ‏غامض (abstruse, ambiguous, cloudy, deep, dim, double faced, dreamy, enigmatic, evasive, fuzzy, grave, hazy, incomprehensible, indecisive, indefinite, indeterminate, indistinct, indistinguishable, inscrutable, intangible, lax, magic, magical, misty, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, obscure, occult, opaque, puzzling, recondite, secret, shady, sketchy, slippery, sloppy, uncertain, unintelligible, vague, woolly), ‏عديم الإحساس (stolid, thick-skinned). (various references)

Bulgarian		тъп (asinine, blunt, bovine, cloddish, crass, dense, dim, dim witted, dopey, dopy, dull, dumb, gross, hollow, lumpish, muddle-headed, obtuse, opaque, puddingy, purblind, slow, sodden, stupid, thick, thick-headed, thick-witted, torpid, unpointed, wooden-headed), тайнствен (cabbalistic, eerie, eery, mysterious, mystic, orphic, uncanny, unearthly, unsearchable), гъст (bushy, dense, double, full-bodied, gross, heavy, rich, stiff, stringy, thick, turbid, viscous), неразгадаем (fathomless, indecipherable, inscrutable, unfathomable, unsearchable), неразбираем (abstruse, fathomless, inapprehensible, incomprehensible, ineligible, inscrutable, opaque, profound, unintelligible), неотзивчив (deaf, impervious, insensate, insensible, irresponsive, un-co-operative, unhelpful, unresponsive), непроходим (impassable, impracticable, pathless, trackless), непрогледен (opaque), непроницаем (impermeable, impervious, proof, thick, tight, unfathomable, unpenetrable), недостъпен (exclusive, inaccessible, inapproachable, unget-at-able, unobtainable, unscalable, untouchable). (various references)

Chinese		难贯穿. (various references)

Czech		nevyzpytatelný (enigmatic, inapprehensive, inscrutable, unfathomable, unsearchable, wayward), neproniknutelný (imperceptible, unpenetrable), nedobytný (bad, impregnable). (various references)

Dutch		ondoordringbaar (impermeable, impervious, tight). (various references)

Esperanto		nepenetrebla. (various references)

Farsi		پوشیده (Covert, Latent, Occult, Overcast, Recondite, Secret), نفوذنکردنی , غیرقابل رسوخ , سوراخ نشدنی , داخل نشدنی , درک نکردنی (Imperceptible, Intangible). (various references)

Finnish		tutkimaton (inscrutable, not investigated, unexamined, unexplored), läpitunkematon, läpitunkema (imbued with, shot through with .), läpipääsemätön (impassable), läpäisemätön (impermeable, impervious). (various references)

French		insondable, imperméable (impermeable, impervious), impénétrable (impervious), impénétrabilité (impenetrability). (various references)

German		undurchdringlich (impermeable, impermeably, impervious, inscrutable, proof, tight). (various references)

Greek		αξεδιάλυτοσ (inextricable, unsolved), ανεξιχνίαστοσ (indecipherable, inscrutable, traceless, unfathomable), αδιαπέραστοσ (impermeable, impervious, proof). (various references)

Hebrew		אי ח�"יר, אטים (impermeable), אטום (caulking, dull, impermeable, opaque, sealed, sealing, shut, solid). (various references)

Hungarian		áthatolhatatlan (impassable, impermeable, impervious, solid, unpenetrable). (various references)

Indonesian		tak dapat dimasuki. (various references)

Italian		impenetrabile (impervious). (various references)

Manx		neufeayshlagh, neuchassanagh (impassable, pathless, trackless, uncharted). (various references)

Norwegian		ugjennomtrengelig (impervious). (various references)

Pig Latin		impenetrableay.(various references)

Portuguese		insondável (abysmal, bottomless, fatidical, soundless, unfathomable), impermeável (burberry, damp proof, impermeable, impermissible, impersonal, impervious, mackerel, macrame, raincoat, rainproof, raintight, repellent, slicker, tight, unsavory, unsavoury, waterproof), impenetrabilidade (inscrutable, unconceivable), impenetrável (impervious, inscrutable, unfathomable, unpenetrable, unsearchable), misterioso (arcane, daedal, eery, mysterious, occult, oracular, orphic, recondite, subtil, subtile, subtle, uncanny, unsearchable, weird). (various references)

Romanian		impenetrabil (impervious, unfathomable), de nestrãbãtut (impassable), de nepãtruns (murky). (various references)

Russian		непроходимый (impassable, impermeable, impracticable), непроницаемый (impermeable, impervious, inscrutable, staunch, unpenetrable), непромокаемый (impermeable, rainproof, waterproof). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian		neprobojan (bulletproof, impermeable, proof, tight, unpenetrable). (various references)

Spanish		insondable (abysmal, bottommost, deep, fathomless, unfathomable), impenetrable (impenetrably, impervious, inscrutable, unpenetrable). (various references)

Swedish		ogenomtränglig (impermeable, impervious, impregnable). (various references)

Turkish		kapalı (backhanded, cloistered, close, closed, cloudy, cloudyly, covered, enclosed, Gray, grey, indoor, muggy, murky, off, overcast, privy, sable, sealed, secluded, shut, skyless, sullen, unopened), girilemez, anlaşılmaz (bottomless, clear as mud, complicated, deep, delphic, elusive, elusory, fathomless, inapprehensible, inarticulate, incomprehensible, inconceivable, inexplicable, inscrutable, intangible, obscure, occult, opaque, oracular, perplexed, puzzling, recondite, sphinxlike, unaccountable, uncanny, unintelligible, vague, weird), akıl ermez (unfathomable). (various references)

Ukranian		незрозумілий (cabbalistic, cramp, obscure, opaque, weird), непрохідний (impassable, impracticable, no go, wayless), непроникний (impermeable, inscrutable, non-permeable, proof, unpenetrable), безпросвітний. (various references)

Vietnamese		không thể qua được (impassable). (various references)

Welsh		anhreiddiol (impervious). (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Language	Period	Translations
Latin	500 BCE-Modern	impenetrabiilis. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Misspellings
	"Impenetrable" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: impenatrable, impenertable, impeneteable, impeneterable, impenetrible, impenitrable, inpenetrable. (additional references)
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

# of Phoneme Matches	Pronunciation	Word(s) rhyming with "impenetrable" (pronounced i'mpe"nutrubul)
6	-t r u b u l	demonstrable.
5	-r u b u l	adorable, arable, bearable, curable, deplorable, desirable, durable, execrable, horrible, incurable, nondurable, parable, repairable, terrible, unbearable, undesirable, uninsurable, wearable.
4	-u b u l	abominable, acceptable, accessible, accountable, achievable, actionable, adaptable, addressable, adjustable, admirable, admissible, adoptable, advisable, affable, affordable, agreeable, allowable, amenable, amendable, amiable, amicable, analyzable, answerable, appealable, applicable, appreciable, approachable, approvable, arguable, attainable, attributable, audible, available, avoidable, bankable, believable, billable, biodegradable, breakable, buildable, burnable, callable, cannibal, capable, changeable, chargeable, charitable, classifiable, collapsible, collectible, Combinable, comfortable, commendable, communicable, comparable, compatible, compensable, comprehensible, conceivable, confirmable, considerable, constable, consumable, contemptible, contestable, controllable, convertible, copyrightable, countable, credible, creditable, crucible, culpable, debatable, deductible, defensible, definable, degradable, delectable, deliverable, dependable, deployable, depreciable, describable, despicable, detachable, detectable, determinable, developable, digestible, disagreeable, discernible, discountable, discoverable, dishonorable, dispensable, disposable, disreputable, distinguishable, divisible, doable, drinkable, drivable, eatable, edible, electable, eligible, Embraceable, employable, enforceable, enjoyable, enviable, equable, equitable, erasable, erodible, estimable, exchangeable, excitable, excludable, excusable, exercisable, expandable, expendable, explainable, exportable, extendable, extendible, fallible, fashionable, fathomable, favorable, feasible, fissionable, fixable, flammable, flexible, forcible, foreseeable, forfeitable, forgettable, forgivable, formidable, fungible, fusible, gullible, habitable, harvestable, heritable, hon, honorable, hospitable, identifiable, illegible, imaginable, imitable, immiscible, immovable, immutable, impassable, impeachable, impeccable, imperceptible, impermissible, implacable, implantable, implausible, imponderable, impossible, impracticable, impregnable, impressionable, improbable, inaccessible, inadmissible, inadvisable, inalienable, inapplicable, inaudible, incalculable, incapable, incomparable, incompatible, incomprehensible, incompressible, inconceivable, incontrovertible, incorrigible, incredible, indefatigable, indefensible, indefinable, indelible, indescribable, indestructible, indispensable, indisputable, indistinguishable, indivisible, indomitable, inedible, ineffable, ineligible, inequitable, inescapable, inevitable, inexcusable, inexhaustible, inexorable, inexplicable, infallible, infeasible, inflammable, inflatable, inflexible, inheritable, inhospitable, inimitable, injectable, innumerable, inoperable, insatiable, inscrutable, inseparable, insoluble, insufferable, insupportable, insurmountable, intangible, intelligible, interchangeable, interminable, interruptible, intolerable, intractable, invaluable, investable, invincible, inviolable, invisible, invulnerable, irascible, irreconcilable, irrefutable, irremediable, irreparable, irreplaceable, irrepressible, irresistible, irresponsible, irreversible, irrevocable, irritable, issuable, justifiable, knowledgeable, lamentable, laudable, laughable, leasable, legible, liable, likable, likeable, livable, lovable, malleable, manageable, mandible, maneuverable, marketable, measurable, memorable, microwavable, miscible, miserable, moldable, movable, navigable, negligible, negotiable, noncallable, nonconvertible, nondeductible, nonrefundable, nonrenewable, nontaxable, nontransferable, notable, noticeable, objectionable, observable, obtainable, operable, ostensible, palatable, palpable, passable, patentable, payable, peaceable, perceptible, perishable, permeable, permissible, personable, persuadable, pitiable, plausible, pleasurable, pliable, portable, possible, potable, practicable, predictable, preferable, presentable, preventable, printable, probable, profitable, programmable, prosecutable, provable, punishable, questionable, quotable, reachable, readable, realizable, reasonable, receivable, rechargeable, recognizable, recordable, recoverable, recyclable, redeemable, redoubtable, reducible, refundable, regrettable, reliable, remarkable, removable, renewable, rentable, repayable, repeatable, replaceable, reportable, reprehensible, reputable, resealable, resettable, respectable, responsible, retractable, returnable, reusable, reversible, revocable, ridable, salable, saleable, salvageable, seasonable, sensible, serviceable, sizable, sizeable, sociable, soluble, solvable, spendable, submersible, suggestible, suitable, supportable, survivable, susceptible, sustainable, syllable, talkable, tangible, taxable, teachable, tenable, tolerable, traceable, tractable, tradable, tradeable, trainable, transferable, transferrable, transmittable, transportable, treatable, tunable, typeable, unacceptable, unaccountable, unaffordable, unalienable, unalterable, unanswerable, unassailable, unattainable, unavailable, unavoidable, unbeatable, unbelievable, unbuildable, uncollectible, uncomfortable, unconscionable, uncontrollable, undeniable, understandable, undetectable, unelectable, unemployable, unenforceable, unenviable, unexplainable, unfashionable, unfathomable, unfavorable, unfeasible, unflappable, unforeseeable, unforgettable, unforgivable, ungovernable, unimaginable, unimpeachable, uninhabitable, unintelligible, unjustifiable, unknowable, unlivable, unmanageable, unmentionable, unmistakable, unobtainable, unpalatable, unpredictable, unprintable, unprofitable, unquestionable, unreachable, unreadable, unreasonable, unrecognizable, unreliable, unremarkable, unsalable, unshakable, unsinkable, unsolvable, unspeakable, unstoppable, unsuitable, unsupportable, unsustainable, untenable, unthinkable, untouchable, untraceable, unusable, unverifiable, unwinnable, unworkable, usable, variable, vegetable, venerable, verifiable, veritable, viable, visible, voluble, vulnerable, washable, winnable, workable.
3	-b u l	able, amble, assemble, babble, Babel, bauble, bible, bramble, bubble, Bumble, cable, cobble, coble, corbel, crumble, cymbal, dabble, Dibble, disable, disassemble, dissemble, double, Drabble, dribble, enable, enfeeble, ennoble, ensemble, fable, feeble, foible, fumble, gable, gamble, Garble, global, gobble, Gribble, grumble, hardscrabble, herbal, hobble, humble, ignoble, immeasurable, immobile, intertribal, jumble, kibble, label, libel, marble, mislabel, mobile, mumble, nibble, nimble, noble, nonverbal, pebble, preamble, psychobabble, quibble, rabble, ramble, reassemble, rebel, redouble, relabel, resemble, Roble, rouble, roundtable, rubble, Ruble, rumble, sable, Scrabble, scramble, scribble, shamble, Sibyl, squabble, Stabile, stable, stubble, stumble, symbol, table, thimble, timetable, treble, tremble, tribal, trouble, tubal, tumble, turntable, umbel, unable, unscramble, unserviceable, unstable, valuable, verbal, wamble, wobble.
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "a-b-e-e-e-i-l-m-n-p-r-t"
	-2 letters: penetrable, planimeter, temperable, terminable.
	-3 letters: belemnite, enterable, implanter, intermale, permeable, printable, reimplant.
	-4 letters: antimere, aperient, atremble, bailment, elaterin, emeritae, enameler, entailer, interlap, lamenter, lateener, liberate, materiel, melanite, mineable, partible, pearlite, pelerine, periblem, perineal, permeant, permeate, petaline, plebeian, preamble, realtime, rentable, tapeline, tenebrae, terminal, tramline, trapline, treenail, triplane.
	-5 letters: ailment, alienee, aliener, aliment, ambient, arenite, atelier, balmier, beamier, beeline, beetler, beleapt, benempt, bepaint, berline, betaine, bimetal, biplane, bleater, elapine, element, emerita, emetine, emirate, empaler, empanel, emplane, emptier, enabler, enteral, epimere, eremite, etamine, eternal, impaler, impanel, impearl, implant, lambent, lambert, lambier, latrine, lempira, librate, limbate, lineate, maltier, maniple, manlier, marline, marlite, matinee, mealier, meatier, minable, minaret, mineral, nimbler, painter, palmier, pantile, peatier, pembina, penlite, perinea, perlite, pertain, petrale, pileate, plainer, plaiter, planter, platier, pleater, praline, preemie, prelate, premeal, premeet, prename, preteen, primate, raiment, ratline, reliant, repaint, repanel, replant, replate, replete, reptile, retable, retinae, retinal, teenier, teleman, telemen, teleran, tempera, templar, tenable, terpene, timbale, timbral, timbrel, trainee, trample, tremble, trenail, triable.
	Words containing the letters "a-b-e-e-e-i-l-m-n-p-r-t"
	+5 letters: impenetrabilities.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.