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unfordable

unfordable

8.5
Not able to be crossed by walking or driving through shallow water
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈfɔrdəbl/
translation icon : incruzable
  • The swollen river was completely unfordable after the storm.
  • unfordable river

Examples

  • During the rainy season, many roads become unfordable due to flooding.

  • The river is unfordable after the heavy rain.

  • They had to find a bridge because the stream was unfordable at that point.

  • During the storm, the creek became unfordable.

  • The flooded valley made the river completely unfordable for the villagers.

  • After heavy rain, the stream became unfordable and isolated the community.

  • The swift current made it unfordable even for experienced fishermen.

Synonyms

impassable
vsunfordable
13 5.3

A road, path, or area you cannot travel through

focuses on inability to cross by wading or driving through shallow water
uncrossable
vsunfordable
1 5.6

Too dangerous or blocked to go across

is specific to inability to cross by wading or driving through shallow water
untraversable
vsunfordable
1 9.1

Not possible to cross by people or vehicles

focuses on shallow water crossings by wading or driving
unpassable
vsunfordable
1 6.9

A road or path that people cannot cross

is limited to shallow water situations involving wading or driving
impassible
vsunfordable
9.2

Impossible to travel through because obstacles block the way

is specific to inability to cross by wading or driving through shallow water
unwalkable
vsunfordable
6.7

Not possible to walk across because of obstacles or danger

is about inability to cross by wading or driving through shallow water

Antonyms

6.3

Shallow enough to walk, ride, or drive across a river

How Crossable

fordable
6.3
crossable
3.5
passable
4 3.5
unfordable
8.5

Surface Forms

unfordable positive

Morphology

unfordable = fordable (transparent) = un + ford + able

A standard negation 'un-' applied to the adjective 'fordable' yields the stated meaning 'not able to be forded'.

Etymology

Unfordable comes from ford, a shallow place in a river where people or cars can cross, with un- meaning 'not' and -able meaning 'able to'. So, unfordable simply means 'not able to be crossed at a ford', which is why you must find a bridge or another way across.