impenetrability
noun
im·pen·e·tra·bil·i·ty
| \ (ˌ)im-ˌpe-nə-trə-ˈbi-lə-tē
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Definition of impenetrability
1
: the inability of two portions of matter to occupy the same space at the same time
2
: the quality or state of being impenetrable
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Synonyms for impenetrability
Synonyms
inscrutability, inscrutableness, mysteriousness, numinousness, obscurity, uncanniness
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Examples of impenetrability in a Sentence
the impenetrability of her prose is apparently the basis of her appeal to literary snobs
Recent Examples on the Web
The arid landscapes are stunning in their vast impenetrability; the prospect of crossing them is daunting. — Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, "“Best of Luck with the Wall” Puts the Borderlands Back in Context," 5 Aug. 2019 But above all, Chlumsky’s aim was to create a realistic emotional portrait for a character who’s very body language channels a kind of emotional impenetrability. — Chloe Schama, Vogue, "Anna Chlumsky: Veep Was Never a Show About Feminism. And It Was Always a Show About Feminism.," 29 Mar. 2019 By the time Epic could seize on what the genre was missing, the whole scene had already become synonymous with impenetrability and disingenuous copycats. — Steven Strom, Ars Technica, "How Epic’s Fortnite rose from the ashes of Paragon’s failure," 11 May 2018 The goal is to test different materials and designs for impenetrability, although there may not be one big winner. — Kristina Davis, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Trump to tour border wall prototypes during San Diego visit today," 13 Mar. 2018 The goal is to test different materials and designs for impenetrability, although there may not be one big winner. — latimes.com, "Intense security on both sides of border for Trump's visit to wall prototypes," 13 Mar. 2018 Soon after, Dolph released a new album containing a multitude of references to Charlotte, the shooting and both his SUV’s and his own impenetrability. — Théoden Janes, charlotteobserver, "Rapper claimed to be ‘bulletproof’ after Charlotte shootout. Tuesday, he was critically shot in L.A.," 27 Sep. 2017 Mashing together slang, jargon, pressurized lyricism, erudition, and singsong, he was often seen to court impenetrability in his search to conjure emotional textures rather than solid ideas. — Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, "John Ashbery’s Convex Mirror," 4 Sep. 2017 But there's also a sense of impenetrability, exacerbated by her penchant for secrecy — a characteristic that has led to her greatest vulnerability in this election: the email scandal over her use of a private server. — Jocelyn Noveck, Town & Country, "Why Is Hillary Clinton Still So Hard to Define?," 25 July 2016These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impenetrability.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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