Standard Lemma guide

imperceptibly

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 M P ER0 S EH1 P T IH0 B L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Not noticeably; such that it cannot be detected, through being too small or too fast, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • No one noticed that he had moved imperceptibly backwards.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in an imperceptible manner or to an imperceptible degree

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the power of the Secretary of State in London increased gradually but imperceptibly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unnoticeably

Antonyms: perceptibly

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English imperceptible Middle English -ly English -ly English imperceptibly From imperceptible + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: imperceptiblement — not noticeably
  • Dutch: onmerkbaar — not noticeably
  • Dutch: ongemerkt — not noticeably
  • Finnish: huomaamatta — not noticeably
  • Finnish: huomaamattomasti — not noticeably
  • French: imperceptiblement — not noticeably
  • French: insensiblement — not noticeably
  • German: unmerklich — not noticeably
  • Polish: niezauważalnie — not noticeably
  • Russian: незаме́тно (nezamétno) — not noticeably
  • Russian: незначи́тельно (neznačítelʹno) — not noticeably
  • Spanish: imperceptiblemente — not noticeably
  • Swedish: omärkligt — not noticeably
  • Swedish: omärkbart — not noticeably
  • Ukrainian: непомі́тно (nepomítno) — not noticeably