is not understandable

USAGE SUMMARY

"is not understandable" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to express the idea that something is not able to be comprehended or understood. Example: The instructions on this manual are not understandable, I cannot figure out how to assemble the product.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

But first, more discussion on contraception, an issue that I now understand only affects the election hopes of President Obama and is not understandable as an issue that impacts ordinary Americans.

Huffington Post

The confusion is not understandable.

The Guardian - Film

That is not understandable to me.

The Guardian - Sport

The religious divide is not understandable.

The Guardian - Opinion

To change the Poundland formula by doing something different is not understandable," says McCarthy.

The Guardian - Business

We don't want to put something on the ballot that is not sound policy and is not understandable to voters.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

And it's a shame that public radio is scared away from what doesn't show well in the Arbitron book or hasn't proven itself somewhere else or isn't understandable on first hearing".

The New York Times - Arts

"Standard Arabic isn't understandable really if you're not educated, and since most people [there] are not educated, they can't understand".

Huffington Post

What isn't understandable is that there's always an excuse, somehow, not to allocate prevention funds which absolutely nobody disputes would save millions of dollars in the costs of ongoing illness.

Huffington Post

"The words are not understandable by humans".

The New York Times

What's not understandable, however, is how he's dealing with it.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "is not understandable" to express an objective assessment of the difficulty in understanding something, rather than a personal failing. For example, "The technical jargon is not understandable to a layperson."

Common error

Avoid using "is not understandable" when a more subjective phrase like "I don't understand" or "I can't follow" would be more appropriate. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound overly formal or detached.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is not understandable" functions as an adjective phrase that describes a quality or characteristic of a noun. It asserts that something lacks the property of being easily or readily understood. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a standard and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

45%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "is not understandable" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that something lacks clarity or is difficult to comprehend. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is perfectly correct. As Ludwig examples show, this phrase appears most frequently in news, media, and scientific sources, indicating a neutral to formal register. Related phrases include "is incomprehensible" and "is not clear", offering alternative ways to express a lack of understanding. When using the phrase, be specific about what is not understandable and avoid overuse in subjective contexts to maintain clarity and conciseness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is incomprehensible

Emphasizes the inability to understand something due to its complexity.

is unintelligible

Highlights the lack of clarity in something spoken or written.

is not comprehensible

Stresses the inability to grasp the meaning of something.

is beyond my understanding

Indicates a personal limitation in understanding a specific topic.

is not clear

Focuses on the lack of clarity or explicitness.

is not sensible

Highlights the lack of reason or logic.

is not reasonable

Emphasizes the absence of logical thought or action.

is not digestible

Indicates that information is too complex or overwhelming to easily process.

is too abstract

Highlights that an idea is too theoretical to be grasped easily.

defies comprehension

Shows the absolute inability of something to be understood.

FAQs

What does "is not understandable" mean?

The phrase "is not understandable" means that something cannot be easily comprehended or grasped. It indicates a lack of clarity or intelligibility.

When should I use "is not understandable" in a sentence?

Use "is not understandable" when you want to express that something is difficult or impossible to understand, often due to complexity, jargon, or poor explanation. You can use alternatives like "is incomprehensible" or "is unintelligible".

What are some alternatives to "is not understandable"?

Alternatives include "is not clear", "is beyond my understanding", or "defies comprehension". The best choice depends on the specific context and the reason for the lack of understanding.

Is "is not understandable" the same as "I don't understand"?

While both phrases indicate a lack of comprehension, "is not understandable" suggests an objective quality of the subject itself, while "I don't understand" is a personal statement of incomprehension. The former is about the thing, the latter is about the subject. For example, "The instructions are not understandable" versus "I don't understand the instructions".