unthinkableun‧think‧a‧ble /ʌnˈθɪŋkəbəl/ adjective 
It is unthinkable that a mistake like this could have happened.it would be unthinkable for somebody to do something It would be unthinkable for me to stay anywhere but with the family.► see thesaurus at impossible2the unthinkable something that is impossible to accept or imagine: Then the unthinkable happened and the boat started to sink. It was the job of the committee to think the unthinkable (=plan for unexpected events or situations).
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- In those days it was unthinkable for a lady to work outside the home.
- It is unthinkable that anyone would dare to enter the Control Area without permission.
- The amount of sex on television that we see today would have been unthinkable in previous decades.
- The idea of a world without music is unthinkable.
- But it is virtually unthinkable that it could end in an acquittal, still less a mistrial.
- In 1094 however such a future would have seemed unthinkable.
- It was unthinkable, of course, to take them this time, but it was a wrench leaving them behind with Polly.
- Older women in the developing countries suffered too, but medical care for them was unthinkable.
- The very philosophy of the Hegelians is therefore not a challenge to society but a way of making such challenge unthinkable.
THESAURUS
something that is impossible cannot happen or be done: · It’s impossible to get a taxi around here.· At times, finding a job felt like an impossible task.
something that is impractical is too expensive, takes too much time, is too difficult etc and therefore it is not sensible to try to do it: · It’s a nice idea, but it’s totally impractical.· We cannot all just stop using our cars - that would be completely impractical.· an impractical suggestion
used when saying that something is completely impossible, especially because it is not allowed: · It’s out of the question for you to go alone.
informal used when saying that you think something is completely impossible: · There’s no way we can get to the airport in less than an hour.
impossible to imagine or believe: · It seemed inconceivable that there could be an end to the fighting in Northern Ireland.
impossible to imagine or believe – used especially about something that seems very shocking to people: · In those days it was unthinkable for a lady to work outside the home.
impossible to achieve: · an unattainable goal· Victory seemed unattainable.
spoken used when saying very definitely that something is impossible: · I’m afraid it can’t be done.
Longman Language Activatorwhen something cannot happen, exist, or be true use this to say that you are sure that something cannot happen, exist, or be true: · "Did you know that I can hold my breath for three minutes?" "Impossible!"· "The police suspect John.'' "But that's impossible. He was with us the whole day.''it is impossible (that): · It was impossible that anyone could have survived the crash.
impossible use this especially when you are very surprised about something: · "Abigail won't give us the money," said Jim. "But that's not possible," replied Ben, "she told me only this morning that she would.''it is not possible that: · It's not possible that Kate was at the party too. I would have seen her.
use this to say that it is not possible for something to have happened or for someone to have done something: · They can't have gone out because all the windows are open.· What you're saying can't possibly be true. I don't believe it.· New evidence proved that the accused couldn't have been at the scene of the crime.
spoken say this when you strongly believe that something is impossible: there's no way (that): · There's no way we can possibly get the bed up those stairs.· If the computer system is working properly, there's no way that it could make a mistake.
impossible or very difficult to imagine: · When I was a boy, having a bath every day was an inconceivable luxury.· The slaughter thousands of innocent US citizens would have been inconceivable until recently.it is inconceivable that: · Many people thought it was inconceivable that the crash could have been an accident.
if something is unthinkable , it seems impossible because it is so shocking, nasty, difficult etc: · The amount of sex on television that we see today would have been unthinkable in previous decades.it is unthinkable that: · It is unthinkable that anyone would dare to enter the Control Area without permission.unthinkable for somebody to do something: · In those days it was unthinkable for a lady to work outside the home.
if something is not possible by any or by no stretch of the imagination, you cannot even imagine it being possible: · The new software program is not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination.· By no stretch of the imagination could Carl ever be called good-looking.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY It is unthinkable that a mistake like this could have happened. Then the unthinkable happened and the boat started to sink. It was the job of the committee to think the unthinkable (=plan for unexpected events or situations).COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
It is unthinkable that a mistake like this could have happened. Then the unthinkable happened and the boat started to sink. It was the job of the committee to think the unthinkable (=plan for unexpected events or situations).· For many people the idea is alien, almost unthinkable.
WORD FAMILYnounthinkrethinkthinkerthinkingthe unthinkableadjectivethinkable ≠ unthinkablethinking ≠ unthinkingverbthinkrethinkadverbunthinkingly
1impossible to accept or imagine: It is unthinkable that a mistake like this could have happened.it would be unthinkable for somebody to do something It would be unthinkable for me to stay anywhere but with the family.► see thesaurus at impossible2the unthinkable something that is impossible to accept or imagine: Then the unthinkable happened and the boat started to sink. It was the job of the committee to think the unthinkable (=plan for unexpected events or situations).