incomprehensible

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'incomprehensible' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that you cannot understand, or that is confusing or beyond your understanding. For example: "The professor's lecture was so incomprehensible that I had to leave the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, said it was "incomprehensible" why Australia was so quick to respond to the crisis in Iraq but so slow to respond to another humanitarian disaster in west Africa.

The Guardian

Sturgeon said: "It is incomprehensible to us, for the EU referendum, that the UK government is proposing to grant the right to vote to the citizens of three other EU countries – Ireland, Malta and Cyprus – but not the remaining 24.

The Guardian

We were witnessing things that were incomprehensible to us as teenagers.

The Guardian - Books

This means that Randy Jackson will still be there, calling everyone "dog" a lot and complaining that he can't feel things, with Tyler looking likely to assume the barmy, shaggy-haired, largely incomprehensible role vacated by Paula Abdul.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The sparkling literary talent Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has said: "If I had not grown up in Nigeria, if all I knew about Africa were from popular images, I, too, would think Africa was a place of beautiful landscape, beautiful animals and incomprehensible people fighting senseless wars, dying of poverty and Aids, unable to speak for themselves and waiting to be saved by a kind white foreigner.

The Guardian

In Ireland, a similar situation exists: Tim Robinson notes how with each generation, more "of the place names are forgotten or becoming incomprehensible".

The Guardian - Books

"The lack of an agreement so far is not due to the supposed intransigent, uncompromising and incomprehensible Greek stance," he wrote.

The Guardian - Business

The authorities have given only incomprehensible advice on the legality of interviewing the Muslim Brotherhood, who are now designated terrorists despite holding public office less than a year ago.

The Guardian

Those incomprehensible claims might bring to mind some wild new mechanism for the production of sound through the digital activation of a piano key: so what is it, a keyboard that lets you produce light as well as sound (like Scriabin wanted) or maybe a set of ivories that turns the piano into a Marty-McFly-style musical DeLorean?

The Guardian - Music

You remember – incomprehensible novel by Irvine Welsh that, three years later in 1996, became a very successful film in the hands of Danny Boyle.

The Guardian

In fact, they have pretty much the same stereotypes of this part of France as we do of the north of England: slag heaps, rain, incomprehensible accents.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incomprehensible" to describe complex or abstract concepts that are difficult to understand, not simple misunderstandings. For example, "The quantum physics lecture was utterly incomprehensible to the undergraduates."

Common error

Avoid using "incomprehensible" when simpler words like 'unclear' or 'confusing' suffice. "Incomprehensible" implies a profound lack of understanding, not just momentary confusion.

Linguistic Context

The word "incomprehensible" functions primarily as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something impossible or very difficult to understand, as confirmed by Ludwig and its many real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Formal & Business

29%

Science

29%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "incomprehensible" is a versatile adjective used to describe something that is impossible or very difficult to understand. According to Ludwig AI, its grammatical status is correct, and it appears very commonly in the English language, particularly in news, formal business, and scientific contexts. To ensure clarity, use "incomprehensible" for truly complex concepts, and consider alternatives like "unintelligible" or "difficult to grasp" in simpler situations. Remember that while the word is quite common, its overuse can be detrimental for your writing, especially when you can say "unclear" instead. With these tips, you're well-equipped to use the word "incomprehensible" effectively in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unintelligible

Focuses on the inability to be understood due to the way something is expressed.

unfathomable

Implies something is too deep or complex to be understood after much thought.

beyond understanding

A more direct way of saying something cannot be understood.

impossible to understand

Emphasizes the complete inability to grasp the meaning.

difficult to grasp

Indicates a struggle in understanding something.

enigmatic

Suggests something is mysterious and difficult to interpret.

obscure

Indicates something is vague and not easily discovered or understood.

perplexing

Describes something that causes confusion and uncertainty.

baffling

Suggests something is extremely confusing and hard to explain.

mystifying

Implies something is puzzling and creates a sense of wonder or confusion.

FAQs

How can I use "incomprehensible" in a sentence?

Use "incomprehensible" to describe something that is impossible or very difficult to understand. For example, "The instructions were so poorly written that they were "incomprehensible"."

What's the difference between "incomprehensible" and "unintelligible"?

"Incomprehensible" refers to something difficult to understand, while "unintelligible" refers to something that cannot be understood due to the way it is expressed. They are similar, but "unintelligible" often relates to speech or writing.

What can I say instead of "incomprehensible"?

You can use alternatives like "unfathomable", "unintelligible", or "difficult to grasp" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "incomprehensible" in formal writing?

Yes, "incomprehensible" is appropriate for formal writing. It's a strong word that conveys a high degree of difficulty in understanding, suitable for academic, professional, and journalistic contexts.