unbelievable

Everyday

1. Unbelievable means so surprising or strange that it is hard to believe it is true. tree →
2. (informal) Unbelievable means very good, very bad or very great: the view was unbelievable. tree →
3. An unbelievable story is one that is not likely to be true. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk and stories it shows strong surprise or delight; children say «That's unbelievable!» In news and safety lessons, if an offer seems unbelievable, it may be a trick. Phrases: simply unbelievable, unbelievably lucky, it's unbelievable that…

Examples

• Our team won 10–0. Unbelievable! tree →
• The fireworks were unbelievable. tree →
• His excuse was unbelievable: a dragon ate his homework. tree →
• It's unbelievable how fast cheetahs can run. tree →
• She was unbelievably lucky to find her ring in the sand. tree →
• If a prize sounds unbelievable, it's probably a trick. tree →
• What happened after this is an almost unbelievable story, but you may read it, dear children, in the chapters that follow. tree →

Note

«Un-» + «believe» + «-able». Drop the e: believe → believable. Similar words: incredible, amazing, astonishing. Opposite: believable.