unbelievable

/,ʌnbi'li:və/

Thân thiện

The magician performed an unbelievable trick with a deck of cards.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Too improbable to be believed; not credible: Describes something so unlikely or extraordinary that it is difficult or impossible to accept as true.
   • Extremely impressive or remarkable; astonishing: Used informally to describe something that is extraordinarily good, bad, or surprising.

Usage

The adjective "unbelievable" is used to express extreme doubt about the truth of a statement or to emphasize the exceptional nature of an event, quality, or situation. It can carry either a negative connotation (skepticism) or a positive one (amazement), depending on context.

Examples

• Expressing skepticism:
  • His excuse for being late was simply unbelievable.
  • The witness told an unbelievable story that the jury did not accept.
• Expressing amazement or being impressed:
  • She showed unbelievable courage during the crisis.
  • The concert last night was unbelievable!

Advanced Usage

• "the unbelievable": Used as a noun phrase to refer to things that are beyond belief.
  • He has a talent for achieving the unbelievable.
• "unbelievably" (adverb): In a manner that is hard to believe; extremely.
  • The car was unbelievably expensive.
  • She sang unbelievably well.

Variants and Related Words

• Incredible (adj.): Very difficult to believe; extraordinary. Often used interchangeably with "unbelievable" in informal contexts to express amazement.
• Implausible (adj.): Not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince. This is a more formal synonym for the "not credible" sense.
• Astonishing (adj.): Extremely surprising or amazing; causing astonishment.
• Unbeliever (n.): A person who does not believe, especially in a particular religious faith. (Note: This is a related but distinct noun form).

Synonyms

• Incredible
• Implausible
• Astonishing
• Unconvincing
• Preposterous
• Far-fetched
• Mind-blowing (informal, for the "amazing" sense)

Antonyms

• Believable
• Credible
• Plausible
• Convincing
• Ordinary
• Unremarkable

Idioms and Common Phrases

• "It's unbelievable!": A common exclamation of shock, surprise, or extreme admiration.
  • Look at that sunset! It's unbelievable!
• "Strain credulity": A more formal phrase similar to "be unbelievable," meaning to be very hard to believe.
  • The plot of the movie strains credulity.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. having a probability too low to inspire belief
2. beyond belief or understanding
   • at incredible speed
   • the book's plot is simply incredible

Từ đồng nghĩa

• improbable
• unconvincing
• unlikely
• incredible