ungraspable
8.6
Too small or slippery to hold in the hand
- adjective
- /ʌnˈɡræspəbl/
:
inasible
- Unrecognizable, unnamed, and both physically and representationally ungraspable, this woman is a spectral presence in the novel that reveals the limits of recognizability by being pushed beyond them.
Examples
-
Although unseen and ungraspable, it is of key importance.
Academic text (1993) -
The concept of infinity is ungraspable for many people, as it cannot be easily defined.
-
Her feelings of grief were ungraspable, leaving her often feeling lost and confused.
-
The mysteries of the universe can seem ungraspable, challenging even the most brilliant minds.
Synonyms
untouchable
vsungraspable
3
7.7
Too difficult for people to reach or get
is about being impossible to hold, seize, or grip physically
impalpable
vsungraspable
1
9.3
Hard to feel or notice with your senses
is about being impossible to hold, seize, or grip physically
9.9
Hard to reach or achieve
is about being impossible to hold, seize, or grip physically
9.9
Hard to reach or get
is about inability to be physically held rather than mere difficulty of reach
How Graspable
Surface Forms
ungraspable positive
Morphology
Etymology
Ungraspable is made of un- 'not', grasp 'hold', and -able 'can'. So it literally means 'cannot be held', which makes it a good word for things you cannot physically grab or hold.