inscrutable
inscrutable — adjective
- inscrutablepositive
- more inscrutablecomparative
- most inscrutablesuperlative
1. A person, expression, or thing that is inscrutable shows or reveals no feelings,
A person, expression, or thing that is inscrutable shows or reveals no feelings, opinions, or intentions, making it very hard — sometimes impossible — for others to know what is truly going on inside.
The ambassador's face remained inscrutable as the journalists shouted their questions.
collocation: face / remain + inscrutable
Tuan stared at the inscrutable map but could not find the hidden trail.
adjective before noun: inscrutable + [thing]
Camila found her manager's expression inscrutable and waited nervously for an answer.
The inscrutable symbols on the stone wall puzzled even the oldest teacher.
Old Kasia gave an inscrutable smile when the children asked about her past.
- enigmatic
Very similar, but 'enigmatic' often suggests an intriguing puzzle, while 'inscrutable' emphasises the total lack of visible clues.
- impenetrable
Stronger and more dramatic; suggests a deliberate wall that actively resists understanding.
- unreadable
Less formal and more common in everyday speech about people's expressions.
- transparent
Describes someone whose feelings or intentions are clearly visible.
- readable
Used informally for faces or expressions that are easy to interpret.
文法句型
be + inscrutable
find + object + inscrutable
inscrutable + noun
用法筆記
Frequently modifies nouns related to facial expression (face, expression, smile, look, eyes) or abstract objects that resist interpretation (text, meaning, code, problem). Less common with living creatures other than humans.