What does unresolvable mean?
Unresolvable is an adjective describing something that cannot be solved, settled, or determined. It is most often applied to disputes, conflicts, questions, and problems: an unresolvable disagreement, for example, is one for which no mutually acceptable solution appears available. The word is formal and more emphatic than unresolved, which can describe a matter that is still awaiting a decision but might eventually be settled. It is also stronger than difficult, since it asserts that resolution is impossible rather than merely hard. In legal, political, and organizational contexts, calling something unresolvable signals that further negotiation may be unproductive unless the terms or assumptions of the dispute change. Outside such contexts, the adjective can characterize abstract puzzles, mysteries, or questions whose answers cannot be established with certainty. Its usefulness lies in this precise finality: it distinguishes a temporary lack of an answer from a matter that has no available solution.
adjectiveUnable to be resolved; impossible to solve, settle, or determine.
- Impossible to settle or reconcile, especially a dispute, conflict, or practical problem.
- Impossible to determine or answer conclusively, especially a question, mystery, or theoretical issue.
"The committee concluded that the long-running dispute was unresolvable without a fundamental change in policy."
"Talks broke down after both sides insisted that the fundamental disagreement was unresolvable."
"The investigators treated the apparent contradiction as unresolvable with the evidence available."
A problem can be unsolved today and still be solvable tomorrow; unresolvable denies tomorrow a solution.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unresolvable come from?
Unresolvable was formed by adding the negative prefix un- to resolvable. Resolvable comes from resolve with the suffix -able, while resolve derives from Latin resolvere, meaning “to untie or loosen” and, by extension, “to unravel or settle a matter.” The word therefore literally means “not able to be resolved.”
Related word forms
How unresolvable is actually used
The adjective is formal and often appears in legal, political, technical, or analytical writing. It normally describes a condition judged impossible to settle under the available circumstances, rather than merely requiring more effort.
Easily confused with unresolvable
An unresolved matter remains unsettled and might still be resolved, whereas an unresolvable matter is considered impossible to settle.