What Is Another Way to Say “Not Understandable”?

Looking for synonyms for not understandable? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say not understandable.

  • Incomprehensible
  • Unintelligible
  • Indecipherable
  • Confusing
  • Obscure
  • Unclear
  • Unfathomable
  • Perplexing
  • Baffling
  • Cryptic
  • Enigmatic
  • Unreadable
  • Ambiguous
  • Muddled
  • Puzzling
  • Vague
  • Impenetrable
  • Abstruse
  • Inscrutable
  • Convoluted

Want to learn how to say not understandable professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Incomprehensible

Appropriate Use: Describes something that is impossible to understand or interpret.
Example: “The technical jargon in the report was incomprehensible to non-experts.”

2. Unintelligible

Appropriate Use: Refers to speech or writing that is difficult to understand because it is not clear.
Example: “The speaker’s arguments were muffled and unintelligible due to poor audio quality.”

3. Indecipherable

Appropriate Use: Indicates text or speech that cannot be decoded or understood.
Example: “The handwritten notes were smudged and indecipherable.”

4. Confusing

Appropriate Use: Describes something that is difficult to understand or causes confusion.
Example: “The new software interface is confusing and lacks intuitive navigation.”

5. Obscure

Appropriate Use: Refers to something that is not clear or plain; ambiguous or vague.
Example: “The legal document was filled with obscure terminology.”

6. Unclear

Appropriate Use: Indicates something that is not easy to understand, see, or hear.
Example: “The project objectives were unclear, leading to misunderstandings among team members.”

7. Unfathomable

Appropriate Use: Describes something that is impossible to understand fully.
Example: “The sudden change in company policy was unfathomable to many employees.”

8. Perplexing

Appropriate Use: Refers to something that is puzzling or bewildering.
Example: “The perplexing nature of the case baffled the investigators.”

9. Baffling

Appropriate Use: Indicates something that is confusing or hard to understand or solve.
Example: “The causes behind the sudden drop in sales were baffling.”

10. Cryptic

Appropriate Use: Describes something that is mysterious and difficult to understand.
Example: “The instructions for the grant application were cryptic and required clarification.”

11. Enigmatic

Appropriate Use: Refers to something that is mysterious and difficult to interpret or understand.
Example: “The CEO’s enigmatic statement left everyone speculating about the company’s future.”

12. Unreadable

Appropriate Use: Indicates text that is difficult or impossible to read and understand.
Example: “The report was poorly written and virtually unreadable.”

13. Ambiguous

Appropriate Use: Describes something that can be understood in more than one way; not clear.
Example: “The ambiguous wording of the policy led to various interpretations.”

14. Muddled

Appropriate Use: Refers to something that is confusing or not clear.
Example: “The presentation was muddled, with no clear takeaway for the audience.”

15. Puzzling

Appropriate Use: Indicates something that is difficult to understand; mystifying.
Example: “The team found the client’s feedback puzzling and contradictory.”

16. Vague

Appropriate Use: Describes something that is not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided.
Example: “The guidelines for the project were vague and lacked detail.”

17. Impenetrable

Appropriate Use: Refers to something that cannot be understood or accessed.
Example: “The academic paper was dense and impenetrable for a layperson.”

18. Abstruse

Appropriate Use: Indicates something that is difficult to understand because it is deeply complex.
Example: “The abstruse theory was beyond the grasp of most students in the class.”

19. Inscrutable

Appropriate Use: Describes something that is impossible to understand or interpret.
Example: “Her inscrutable expression made it hard to guess her reaction to the news.”

20. Convoluted

Appropriate Use: Refers to something that is very complicated and difficult to understand.
Example: “The convoluted legal argument confused even the experienced lawyers.”

Linda Brown