What does unexplainable mean?
“Unexplainable” is an adjective meaning that something cannot be explained, or that no satisfactory account of it is available. It is used especially of events, phenomena, experiences, or behaviors that resist investigation or understanding. Unlike “unexplained,” which can describe something temporarily lacking an explanation, “unexplainable” suggests that the phenomenon itself may be beyond explanation. The word often carries a note of mystery or abnormality, but it does not necessarily imply a supernatural cause: a problem may be unexplainable because evidence is contradictory, a human explanation is lacking, or the relevant subject is extremely complex. In formal writing, it is useful for distinguishing an absence of current understanding from a claim that an explanation is impossible. In everyday conversation, it can sound emphatic, suggesting that the speaker regards even a convincing explanation as unavailable. Its force lies in combining a straightforward negative—“not explainable”—with the sense of a boundary around human knowledge.
adjectiveUnable to be explained, or impossible to account for satisfactorily.
- Impossible or very difficult to explain, account for, or understand.
"The village's unexplainable disappearance from every modern map remained a source of fascination for historians."
"For several hours, the sensors recorded an unexplainable pattern that no one at the observatory could interpret."
"His decision to leave was emotional and, in the circumstances, largely unexplainable."
Unexplainable is where an ordinary explanation runs out of road.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unexplainable come from?
“Unexplainable” was formed in English by combining the prefix un- with explainable. Explainable comes from explain plus the suffix -able, while explain itself descends from Latin explanare, meaning “to make plain,” from ex- and planus, “plain” or “level.” The modern adjective therefore literally means “not able to be explained,” while related forms such as explanation and explanatory continue the same history of making something clear.
Related word forms
How unexplainable is actually used
This is a neutral-to-formal adjective, especially common in journalism, science, history, and discussion of mysterious events. Unlike “unexplained,” which may refer only to something not yet explained, it suggests that no satisfactory explanation may be possible. It does not by itself imply a supernatural cause.
Easily confused with unexplainable
Unexplainable is the direct English negative of explainable, whereas inexplicable is a separately formed Latinate word; both are standard words with closely related meanings.