"Inconceivable" vs. "unbelievable": how close are they?

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 27/10/2025, 02:23

English.me team member

Inconceivable and unbelievable. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both words express something that is very difficult or impossible to accept, understand, or imagine. They are often used to describe extraordinary situations or events that defy normal expectations.

What is different?

Inconceivable emphasizes something that cannot be thought of or imagined at all, highlighting the limits of one's belief or imagination. Unbelievable, while also indicating something hard to accept, often implies astonishment or surprise rather than an absolute impossibility to imagine.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Inconceivable

It is inconceivable that he could have finished the project in one day.
The idea of traveling faster than light was once considered inconceivable.
Her generosity was so great, it was almost inconceivable.

Unbelievable

The magician's trick was simply unbelievable.
After hearing the unbelievable news, she sat in silence.
The team's comeback victory was unbelievable.