inaudible

1 of 2

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-bəl 

: not audible

inaudible comments

inaudibility

(ˌ)i-ˌnȯ-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

inaudibly

(ˌ)i-ˈnȯ-də-blē 

adverb

inaudibility

2 of 2

noun

in·​audibility (¦)in 

ən+

: the quality or state of being inaudible

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

Adjective

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

Adjective

That 7dBA output is practically inaudible—quieter than rustling leaves (around 20dBA) and well below the 25dBA to 30dBA ambient floor of a quiet library or nighttime bedroom. — Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026

After 10 loud snores and two that were nearly inaudible, all movement ceased. — Michael Graczyk, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026

While livestreamed by the White House, the lack of microphones typically used by the pool caused the president's remarks at the event to be inaudible. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

In January 2023, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld Fattore’s convictions but overturned Merritt’s, finding that jurors had received inadequate instructions about how to consider a partially inaudible recording presented as an admission of guilt. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inaudible

• audible
• laudable

Kids Definition

inaudible

adjective

in·​au·​di·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-bəl 

: impossible to hear : not audible

inaudibility

(ˌ)in-ˌȯd-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

inaudibly

(ˈ)in-ˈȯd-ə-blē 

adverb