inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-bəl How to pronounce inaudible (audio)
: not audible
inaudible comments
inaudibility noun
inaudibly adverb

Did you know?

With its negative prefix in-, inaudible means the opposite of audible. What's clearly audible to you may be inaudible to your elderly grandfather. Modern spy technology can turn inaudible conversations into audible ones with the use of high-powered directional microphones, so if you think you're being spied on, make sure there's a lot of other noise around you. And if you don't want everyone around you to know you're bored, keep your sighs inaudible.

Examples of inaudible in a Sentence

She spoke so quietly that she was almost inaudible. The sound is inaudible to humans but can be heard by dogs.
Recent Examples on the Web The problem is that their motors cause electromagnetic interference on the same frequency bands in which AM radio operates, in some cases making the already fuzzy medium inaudible. Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2024 Several right-wing social media users have gone viral as of late by claiming AMC has sought to sabotage screenings by evacuating theaters, making the audio inaudible, or shutting off the air conditioning. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 July 2023 As for Blunt, the Oppenheimer somehow sparked divorce rumors with husband John Krasinski over an inaudible red carpet conversation. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Jan. 2024 The exchange was inaudible, however lip-reading fans on the internet are convinced that the Only Murders in the Building actress was telling Swift that the Kardashians star had said no to Gomez’s request for a photo with Chalamet. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 9 Jan. 2024 There was a big festival, um, called [inaudible 00:27:18], uh, that is, like, um, happening, uh, every year. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Dec. 2023 The one aspect of the work that got easier over time was the review of the thousands and thousands of petitions for (inaudible). ABC News, 3 Dec. 2023 Behind the house, while Raff set the trap, Kroh heard something inaudible to me: the cries of newborn kittens. Jonathan Franzen, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 Nolan often fields critiques about the sound design of his films making dialogue inaudible. Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 7 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inaudible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin inaudibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin audibilis audible

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inaudible was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near inaudible

Cite this Entry

“Inaudible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inaudible. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inaudible

adjective
in·​au·​di·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-bəl How to pronounce inaudible (audio)
: impossible to hear : not audible
inaudibility noun
inaudibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on inaudible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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