impenetrable
Meaning: Impossible to pass through, enter, or understand. Describing something so dense, complex, or obscure that it resists all attempts at comprehension or access.
Impenetrable applies both physically (an impenetrable jungle, impenetrable armour) and intellectually (impenetrable jargon, impenetrable prose). In the intellectual sense, it is always critical, implying that the writer or speaker has failed to communicate clearly. Common collocations include 'impenetrable fog,' 'impenetrable prose,' 'impenetrable jargon,' and 'impenetrable darkness.'
Examples
- The report was written in such impenetrable jargon that even specialists in the field struggled to extract its meaning. 报告使用了如此晦涩难懂的专业术语,连该领域的专家都难以提取其要义。El informe estaba redactado en una jerga tan impenetrable que incluso los especialistas en la materia tenían dificultades para extraer su significado.その報告書は非常に難解な専門用語で書かれており、その分野の専門家でさえ意味を読み取るのに苦労した。그 보고서는 너무나 난해한 전문 용어로 작성되어 해당 분야의 전문가조차 그 의미를 파악하기 어려웠다.
- An impenetrable fog descended on the motorway, reducing visibility to barely a car's length. 高速公路上降下了浓得化不开的大雾,能见度仅有一辆车的长度。Una niebla impenetrable descendió sobre la autopista, reduciendo la visibilidad a apenas la longitud de un coche.見通しのきかない濃霧が高速道路に立ち込め、視界はかろうじて車1台分の長さまで低下した。앞을 분간할 수 없는 짙은 안개가 고속도로에 내려앉아 가시거리가 겨우 차 한 대 길이로 줄었다.
- The dense, impenetrable undergrowth made progress through the forest agonisingly slow. 茂密得无法穿越的灌木丛使得穿过森林的行进异常缓慢。La maleza densa e impenetrable hacía que el avance por el bosque fuera desesperadamente lento.密生して入り込めない下草のせいで、森を抜ける進行は耐え難いほど遅くなった。빽빽하게 자란 뚫고 들어갈 수 없는 덤불 때문에 숲을 통과하는 행군은 고통스러울 만큼 느렸다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: journalism, literary, academic
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin 'impenetrabilis,' from 'in-' (not) and 'penetrabilis' (penetrable), from 'penetrare' (to pierce or enter). Entered English in the 15th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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