indescribable
indescribable
Pronunciation
IPA phonetic spelling for "indescribable":
/ɪndɪˈskraɪbəbl̩/
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
in (ɪn)
/ɪ/ - short i sound (like "in")
/n/ - voiced alveolar nasal (the tip of your tongue touches the ridge behind your upper front teeth, and your vocal cords vibrate)
de (de)
/d/ - voiced alveolar plosive (the tip of your tongue touches the ridge behind your upper front teeth, and your vocal cords vibrate)
/ɛ/ - short e sound (like "bet")
scri (skri)
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative (air rushes through a narrow channel between your tongue tip and upper front teeth, creating a hissing sound)
/k/ - voiceless velar plosive (the back of your tongue touches the soft palate at the back of the roof of your mouth, and your vocal cords don't vibrate)
/ɹ/ - voiced alveolar approximant (the tip of your tongue touches the ridge behind your upper front teeth, and your vocal cords vibrate)
ba (ba)
/b/ - voiced bilabial plosive (your two lips close together, and your vocal cords vibrate)
/a/ - open central unrounded vowel (like "father")
ble (bl̩)
/bl/ - blend of /b/ and /l/ sounds (like in "blue")
/̩/ - syllabic sound (the sound carries the stress of the syllable)
Note: /ɹ/ sound can be replaced with a vowel sound depending on the speaker's accent (e.g., /ɚ/ - schwa sound).
Word Form Variations
"Indescribable" itself doesn't have variations based on singular, plural, or tense. It's an adjective describing a noun, and adjectives typically don't change form.
However, there are related words that might be useful depending on the context:
Adverb: Indescribably (describes how something is indescribable)
Noun: Indescribability (the state of being indescribable)
Synonyms: These can be used to express a similar idea with potentially different connotations. Here are a few options:
Ineffable (too mysterious or great for words)
Unspeakable (impossible to express in words)
Unutterable (impossible to express)
Sublime (inspiring awe or reverence)
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition 1: Too extraordinary, complex, or powerful to be adequately described in words.
Synonyms: ineffable, unspeakable, unutterable, sublime, wondrous, extraordinary
Antonyms: describable, expressible, utterable, ordinary
Definition 2: Defying description due to a lack of clarity or definition.
Synonyms: unclear, ambiguous, confusing, nebulous, hazy
Antonyms: clear, well-defined, distinct, precise
Part of Speech: Adverb (derived from the adjective)
Definition: In a way that cannot be adequately described in words.
Synonyms: ineffably, unspeakably, unutterably, sublimely
Antonyms: describably, expressibly, clearly
Part of Speech: Noun (derived from the adjective)
Definition: The quality or state of being indescribable.
Synonyms: ineffability, unspeakableness, unutterableness
Antonyms: describability, expressibility
Examples of Use
Books:
"The child's laughter filled the room with an indescribable joy." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
Newspapers:
"The devastation left by the hurricane was indescribable. Entire towns were leveled." (The New York Times, August 2023)
Online Publications:
"Gazing at the Milky Way from a mountaintop was an indescribable experience." (Travel + Leisure Magazine)
Entertainment Mediums:
Movie: "That view from the top of the mountain is indescribable!" (Character dialogue in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)
Video Game: "The final boss fight was an indescribable mix of terror and exhilaration." (Online player review)
General Public Discourse:
"The feeling of holding my newborn baby for the first time was indescribable." (Personal anecdote shared on social media)
"The concert was absolutely indescribable! The music, the lights, the energy - it was just incredible." (Conversation between friends)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Indescribable
While "indescribable" isn't the most common word used in famous quotes, here are 10 quotes that capture the essence of the word:
"The experience of beauty awakens a state of consciousness which is indescribable." - Agnes Martin (Artist)
"The feeling of looking down from the top of Everest is something indescribable." - Edmund Hillary (Mountaineer)
"Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation." - Rumi (Poet) (Note: This quote captures the feeling of something profound being beyond words)
"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." - Richard Bach (Writer) (Note: This quote describes a transformation too profound for the caterpillar to understand)
"There are some things that words cannot express." - Gilبرت Keith Chesterton (Writer)
"The experience of flow is so powerful that it has been called the peak experience that people can have." - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Psychologist) (Note: This quote describes a peak experience that is difficult to put into words)
"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." - Berthold Auerbach (Writer) (Note: This quote describes the transformative power of music, which can be difficult to describe)
"The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire." - Pamela Hansford Johnson (Writer) (Note: This quote uses vivid imagery to describe a beautiful and awe-inspiring scene)
"We cannot hold a thought in our mind without a picture of it." - Aristotle (Philosopher) (Note: This quote highlights the limitations of language in capturing pure thought)
"I have had dreams, that I cannot tell you." - Edgar Allan Poe (Writer) (Note: This quote suggests the existence of experiences that are too personal or strange to be shared)
Etymology
The word "indescribable" is like a puzzle built from smaller words we already know. Here's the breakdown:
In-: This prefix means "not" or "opposite of."
Describe: This means to tell someone about something in detail, like painting a picture with words.
-Able: This suffix means "capable of" or "can be."
Put them together, and "indescribable" literally means "not capable of being described."
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Indescribable
While "indescribable" itself isn't part of a common idiom, here are some phrases and ways to use it that capture a similar feeling:
Beyond words: This emphasizes the limitations of language in capturing the experience.
Defies description: This highlights the difficulty of even attempting to describe something so unique.
An indescribable feeling/experience: This directly uses the word "indescribable" to emphasize the power of the feeling.
Speechless: This focuses on the lack of words to express oneself.
Lost for words: Similar to speechless, but emphasizes the feeling of being overwhelmed by the experience.
Takes your breath away: This emphasizes the awe-inspiring nature of something indescribable.
A sight to behold: This focuses on something visually stunning that defies description.
Otherworldly: This suggests something beyond our normal experience and difficult to describe with earthly terms.
Eerie/Haunting: These capture the feeling of something strange and indescribable, potentially unsettling.
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Source Information
Definition of indescribable from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
