Standard Lemma guide

incommunicado

adj · adv · 3 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: [ɪnkəmjunɨˈkɑːdoʊ]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N K AH0 M Y UW2 N AH0 K AA1 D OW0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

In a manner in which communication with outsiders is not possible, for either voluntary or involuntary reasons, especially due to confinement or reclusiveness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

without the means or right to communicate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a prisoner held incommunicado
  • incommunicado political detainees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish incomunicado, with spelling influenced by such English words as communicate.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: senkomunikiĝa — in a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate
  • German: isoliert — in a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate
  • German: abgeschnitten — in a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate
  • German: unerreichbar — in a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate
  • German: nicht erreichbar — in a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate
  • Spanish: incomunicado — in a state or condition of inability or unwillingness to communicate
  • German: isoliert — in a manner in which communication is not possible
  • German: von der Außenwelt abgeschnitten — in a manner in which communication is not possible
  • Spanish: incomunicadamente — in a manner in which communication is not possible