Standard Lemma guide

unbelievably

adv · 5 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.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AH2 N B AH0 L IY1 V AH0 B L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a manner that one does not or cannot believe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: manner

Examples

  • He gestured unbelievably. Everyone knew he was faking his illness.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

To an extent not to be believed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: degree

Examples

  • His face turned unbelievably blue. We realized he was actually choking.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Contrary to expectations, amazingly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: evaluative

Examples

  • Unbelievably, Rudy saved the man's life but got sued for breaking two of his ribs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

in an unbelievable manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was unbelievably angry

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: believably

5

adverb

Meaning 5

not easy to believe

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • behind you the coastal hills plunge to the incredibly blue sea backed by the Turkish mountains

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incredibly, improbably, implausibly

Antonyms: believably

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English unbelievable Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English unbelievably From unbelievable + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: անարժանահավատ (anaržanahavat) — in a manner one does not believe
  • Catalan: increïblement — in a manner one does not believe
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不可信地 — in a manner one does not believe
  • Dutch: ongelooflijk — in a manner one does not believe
  • Finnish: uskomattomasti — in a manner one does not believe
  • French: incroyablement — in a manner one does not believe
  • Georgian: დაუჯერებლად (dauǯereblad) — in a manner one does not believe
  • German: unglaublich — in a manner one does not believe
  • German: unglaubwürdig — in a manner one does not believe
  • Greek: απίστευτα (apístefta) — in a manner one does not believe
  • Italian: incredibilmente — in a manner one does not believe
  • Portuguese: inacreditavelmente — in a manner one does not believe
  • Russian: невероя́тно (neverojátno) — in a manner one does not believe
  • Spanish: increíblemente — in a manner one does not believe
  • Armenian: անհավատալի (anhavatali) — to an extent not to be believed
  • Catalan: increïblement — to an extent not to be believed
  • Chinese Mandarin: 难以置信地 — to an extent not to be believed
  • Czech: neuvěřitelně — to an extent not to be believed
  • Dutch: ongelooflijk — to an extent not to be believed
  • Finnish: uskomattoman — to an extent not to be believed
  • French: incroyablement — to an extent not to be believed
  • French: extrêmement — to an extent not to be believed
  • French: très — to an extent not to be believed
  • Georgian: დაუჯერებლად (dauǯereblad) — to an extent not to be believed
  • Georgian: წარმოუდგენლად (c̣armoudgenlad) — to an extent not to be believed
  • German: unglaublich — to an extent not to be believed
  • Greek: απίστευτα (apístefta) — to an extent not to be believed
  • Hungarian: hihetetlenül — to an extent not to be believed
  • Italian: incredibilmente — to an extent not to be believed
  • Portuguese: inacreditavelmente — to an extent not to be believed
  • Russian: невероя́тно (neverojátno) — to an extent not to be believed
  • Spanish: increíblemente — to an extent not to be believed
  • Ukrainian: неймові́рно (nejmovírno) — to an extent not to be believed
  • Armenian: ապշեցուցիչ (apšecʻucʻičʻ) — contrary to expectations
  • Armenian: շշմեցուցիչ (ššmecʻucʻičʻ) — contrary to expectations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 难以置信地 — contrary to expectations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惊人地 — contrary to expectations
  • Dutch: ongelooflijk — contrary to expectations
  • Dutch: wonderbaarlijk — contrary to expectations
  • Finnish: uskomattomasti — contrary to expectations
  • French: incroyablement — contrary to expectations
  • German: wunderbarweise — contrary to expectations
  • Greek: απίστευτα (apístefta) — contrary to expectations
  • Greek: απροσδόκητα (aprosdókita) — contrary to expectations
  • Italian: incredibilmente — contrary to expectations
  • Portuguese: inacreditavelmente — contrary to expectations
  • Russian: невероя́тно (neverojátno) — contrary to expectations
  • Spanish: increíblemente — contrary to expectations