inimitable
adjective
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How Should You Use inimitable?
Something that is inimitable is, literally, not able to be imitated. In actual usage the word describes things so uniquely extraordinary as to not be copied or equaled, which is why you often hear it used to praise outstanding talents or performances. (The antonym imitable describes things that are common or ordinary and could easily be replicated or surpassed.) Inimitable derives via Middle English from Latin inimitabilis. Be careful not to confuse it with inimical or inimicable, two adjectives meaning "hostile" or "harmful"; those words derive from the same Latin root that gave English enemy—inimīcus.
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Examples of inimitable in a Sentence
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 May 2024
The story is expected to twist the fairy tale into inimitable shapes.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for inimitable 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inimitable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Inimitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inimitable. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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inimitable
adjective
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