What does unbearable mean?
Unbearable means so extreme, painful, or difficult that a person cannot reasonably bear or endure it. The word is often used for physical experiences, as in “unbearable heat” or “unbearable pain,” but it can also describe emotional conditions, oppressive circumstances, or delays that become overwhelming. Its force comes from the combination of un-, meaning “not,” and bearable, meaning “able to be endured.” It is stronger and more dramatic than simply saying that something is difficult, and stronger still than the milder tolerable. Although people sometimes use it informally for everyday frustrations, its standard meaning is serious and emphatic. Unbearably is the corresponding adverb, as in “the wait was unbearably long.” The word is useful because it precisely conveys a threshold beyond which suffering, discomfort, or difficulty becomes overwhelming.
adjectiveToo extreme, painful, or difficult to bear or endure. It can describe physical sensations, difficult circumstances, and emotionally distressing situations.
- Too extreme, painful, or difficult to bear or endure.
- Emotionally or mentally overwhelming and extremely difficult to endure.
"After several hours in the intense heat, the wait for the rescue team became unbearable."
"The heat in the attic became unbearable by midsummer."
"She tried to hide her grief, but the silence was unbearable."
Unbearable is where “able” meets its limit: the situation is not merely difficult, but impossible to endure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unbearable come from?
The adjective was formed in English by adding the negative prefix un- to bearable, meaning “able to be borne or endured.” Bear comes from Old English beran, “to carry, bear, or endure,” and is cognate with Latin ferre, “to carry” or “bear.” The formation follows the productive English pattern of using un- to turn an adjective into its negative.
Related word forms
How unbearable is actually used
Unbearable is standard in both formal and informal English and is especially common with physical discomfort, pressure, pain, and emotional strain. It is generally more emphatic than tolerable, which means merely difficult or unpleasant to endure.