impassable

adjective

im·​pass·​able (ˌ)im-ˈpa-sə-bəl How to pronounce impassable (audio)
variants or less commonly impassible
: incapable of being passed, traveled, crossed, or surmounted
impassability noun
impassableness noun
impassably adverb

Examples of impassable in a Sentence

The roads were made impassable by the flood. the road was impassable until snowplows cleared it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If nearby roads become impassable, the mission has its own plow. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025 The Salt River and Wyoming Ranges, along with the Western Wind River Mountains, are set to see 6-12 inches of snow, with some areas exceeding a foot and gusts of 50 mph making mountain passes like Salt River and South Pass nearly impassable. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024 Cleanup from Hurricane Milton's destruction was slow going Saturday, with roads in some counties still impassable, resources scarce for some evacuees making their way back home and power only gradually being restored. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2024 More than 360,000 in the state remain without power as of 11 a.m. ET, more than 1,100 people have been housed in 11 different shelters, more than 400 roads are closed or impassable, and some parts of western North Carolina have still not been reached by responders. NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for impassable 

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impassable was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near impassable

Cite this Entry

“Impassable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impassable. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

impassable

adjective
im·​pass·​able (ˈ)im-ˈpas-ə-bəl How to pronounce impassable (audio)
: impossible to pass, cross, or travel over
roads made impassable by the hurricane
impassability noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impassable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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