unimaginable

/ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ə-ˈmaj-nə-bəl, -ˈma-jə-/ (ame, mw)

unimaginable — 形容詞

1. so extreme in size, degree, or quality that you cannot form a clear picture of i

1.形容詞C2
釋義

難以想像

程度大到無法在腦中具體描繪

so extreme in size, degree, or quality that you cannot form a clear picture of it in your mind; beyond what your mind can deal with or accept

例句

For Ayesha, leaving her village was unimaginable — it had been her home for forty years.

對 Ayesha 來說，離開家鄉這件事簡直難以想像——那裡已經是她住了四十年的家。

pattern: [subject] + be + unimaginable

The cost of the new hospital reached an unimaginable sum of fifty million dollars.

新醫院的費用高達五千萬美元，這筆金額令人難以想像。

collocation: unimaginable + noun (sum / amount / scale)

同義詞
  • inconceivable

    more formal; often used in abstract or philosophical contexts (e.g. 'inconceivable that the universe had no beginning')

  • unthinkable

    stronger moral or emotional tone; often implies the idea should not even be considered (e.g. 'unthinkable to betray a friend')

  • unbelievable

    less formal and more common; can be used for both positive and negative surprises (e.g. 'unbelievable talent')

反義詞
  • imaginable

    direct opposite; often used in the phrase 'every imaginable…' to mean all possible kinds

  • conceivable

    closely related antonym; suggests something can be understood or pictured within the limits of human thought

用法筆記

Commonly used with intensifiers such as 'almost', 'nearly', or 'quite'. Often appears before nouns describing extreme conditions, quantities, or moral situations (pain, wealth, cruelty, destruction, scale).

常見錯誤

❌This cake tastes unimaginable.
✅This cake tastes incredible.
💡unimaginable is not used for everyday opinions about food; it signals a degree of shock or awe beyond normal experience.
❌I had an unimaginable dream last night.
✅I had a strange dream last night.
💡unimaginable implies something so extreme it is hard to believe exists, not merely unusual.