unresolvable

IPA/ˌʌn.rɪˈzɒl.və.bəl/
IPA/ˌʌn.rɪˈzɑːl.və.bəl/

unresolvable — adjective

  • unresolvablepositive
  • more unresolvablecomparative
  • most unresolvablesuperlative

1. (of a problem, disagreement, or difficult situation) impossible to bring to a sa

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

(of a problem, disagreement, or difficult situation) impossible to bring to a satisfactory conclusion or to find an answer for

Example

The conflict between the two communities seemed unresolvable after years of failed peace talks.

unresolvable + conflict — typical formal collocation

Eliska and her partner faced an unresolvable disagreement over the company profits.

Common collocations
  • unresolvable conflict
  • unresolvable disagreement
  • unresolvable problem
  • unresolvable dilemma
  • unresolvable dispute
  • unresolvable issue
  • seemingly unresolvable
  • apparently unresolvable
Synonyms
  • unsolvable

    more common for puzzles and mysteries; less typical for human conflicts and negotiations

  • irresolvable

    more formal and less frequent, with the same core meaning

  • insoluble

    very formal; also refers to substances that cannot be dissolved in chemistry

Antonyms
  • resolvable

    direct opposite — able to be solved or settled

  • solvable

    less formal; common for puzzles and practical problems

Grammar Patterns

unresolvable + noun (conflict / problem / disagreement)

be/seem/appear/remain + unresolvable

Usage Note

Predominantly used in formal, academic, or professional writing. It often modifies nouns such as problem, conflict, dilemma, or disagreement, and commonly follows linking verbs like seem, appear, or remain.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Unresolvable is the broadest of these four terms, applying to conflicts, disagreements, problems, and dilemmas — anything requiring a process of resolution. Unsolvable leans toward intellectual puzzles and mathematical questions where a specific answer is missing, making it less natural for human disputes. Irresolvable is a formal synonym for unresolvable with no real difference in meaning, though it is far less common in everyday writing. Insoluble carries a sense of impossibility that feels more absolute, and in scientific contexts it also means 'cannot be dissolved in liquid.' In practical usage, a negotiation breakdown is unresolvable, whereas a cryptic crossword clue is unsolvable. Choosing the wrong term can sound slightly unnatural — for example, calling a family argument 'unsolvable' feels odd because arguments are resolved, not solved.

unsolvable ↗irresolvableinsoluble ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • appear unresolvable
  • seem unresolvable
  • remain unresolvable

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the prefix un- (meaning 'not') to resolvable, which comes from Latin resolvere — re- (back, again) and solvere (to loosen, untie, solve). The word entered English through Old French resoudre. Unresolvable has been recorded in written English since the early 1800s, used mainly in formal contexts to describe disputes and problems that cannot be untangled.

First known use

1604

1604, in the meaning defined above