What does inscrutable mean?
Inscrutable is an adjective describing something that cannot readily be understood or interpreted. It may suggest profound mystery, a deliberately concealed meaning, or a complexity that exceeds ordinary powers of analysis. The word is especially common in formal writing about people's motives, facial expressions, texts, historical events, and institutions. In “an inscrutable expression,” for example, the phrase conveys both uncertainty about the person’s feelings and a sense that the expression resists interpretation. Inscribable and inscrutable should not be confused: inscrutable means mysterious or incomprehensible, whereas inscrutable-looking patterns are often simply too complex to follow. Because the term carries a formal, elevated tone, it is often more emphatic and literary than simply saying that something is difficult to understand.
adjectiveIncapable of being understood or interpreted; mysterious or difficult to comprehend.
- Impossible or extremely difficult to understand or interpret.
- Deliberately obscure or mysterious in character.
"The politician's inscrutable expression made it impossible to tell whether she agreed."
"The ancient manuscript remained inscrutable despite years of study."
"His inscrutable silence left the committee uncertain about his intentions."
Inscrutable describes ideas so deeply hidden that even careful study may not reveal their meaning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inscrutable come from?
Inscrutable comes from Latin inscrutabilis, meaning “that cannot be searched out or investigated.” It was formed from in-, meaning “not,” and scrutari, “to search or examine,” with the suffix -abilis, indicating capability or possibility. English borrowed the word in the early 17th century in the sense of impossible to investigate or understand. Related English words such as scrutiny and scrutinize developed from the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How inscrutable is actually used
The word is formal and often implies that a person, situation, or meaning is mysterious or beyond ordinary understanding. It is commonly used with expressions, behavior, motives, and texts.
Easily confused with inscrutable
Inscrutable means difficult to understand, whereas incurable means impossible to cure or remedy.