Skip to main content
unfordable

unfordable

1 8.5
Not able to be crossed by walking or driving through shallow water
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈfɔrdəbl/
: 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
11 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
impassible
vsunfordable
1 9.2

Impossible to travel through because obstacles block the way

is specific to inability to cross by wading or driving through shallow water
unpassable
vsunfordable
1 6.9

A road or path that people cannot cross

is limited to shallow water situations involving wading or driving
unwalkable
vsunfordable
1 6.7

Not possible to walk across because of obstacles or danger

is about 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

Antonyms

1 6.3

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

How Crossable

fordable
1 6.3
crossable
1 3.5
passable
3 3.5
unfordable
1 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.