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)
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)
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."
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.