Dictionary

unbelievably en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

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.

Meanings

1. In a manner that one does not or cannot believe.
   • He gestured unbelievably. Everyone knew he was faking his illness.
   • Almost unbelievably, some authors have formed the erroneous conception that ‘Hobson-Jobson’ is actually the double-barrelled surname of the dictionary’s editor. 2018, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, →DOI, page 488:
2. (qualifier:degree) To an extent not to be believed.
   • His face turned unbelievably blue. We realized he was actually choking.
3. (qualifier:evaluative) Contrary to expectations, amazingly.
   • Unbelievably, Rudy saved the man's life but got sued for breaking two of his ribs.

Forms

Synonyms

incredibly

Translations (48)

it incredibilmente (to an extent not to be believed) · fr incroyablement (contrary to expectations) · it incredibilmente (in a manner one does not believe) · cmn 难以置信地 (to an extent not to be believed) · cs neuvěřitelně (to an extent not to be believed) · fi uskomattomasti (in a manner one does not believe) · de unglaubwürdig (in a manner one does not believe) · fi uskomattomasti (contrary to expectations) · fr incroyablement (to an extent not to be believed) · nl wonderbaarlijk (contrary to expectations) · hu hihetetlenül (to an extent not to be believed) · hy անհավատալի (to an extent not to be believed) · ru невероя́тно (contrary to expectations) · ca increïblement (in a manner one does not believe) · es increíblemente (in a manner one does not believe) · fr extrêmement (to an extent not to be believed) · de unglaublich (to an extent not to be believed) · es increíblemente (to an extent not to be believed) · nl ongelooflijk (to an extent not to be believed) · it incredibilmente (contrary to expectations) · uk неймові́рно (to an extent not to be believed) · nl ongelooflijk (contrary to expectations) · el απίστευτα (in a manner one does not believe) · cmn 惊人地 (contrary to expectations) · cmn 不可信地 (in a manner one does not believe) · el απροσδόκητα (contrary to expectations) · cmn 难以置信地 (contrary to expectations) · ka დაუჯერებლად (in a manner one does not believe) · nl ongelooflijk (in a manner one does not believe) · fr incroyablement (in a manner one does not believe) · ru невероя́тно (to an extent not to be believed) · es increíblemente (contrary to expectations) · hy ապշեցուցիչ (contrary to expectations) · fi uskomattoman (to an extent not to be believed) · el απίστευτα (contrary to expectations) · hy շշմեցուցիչ (contrary to expectations) · pt inacreditavelmente (to an extent not to be believed) · pt inacreditavelmente (in a manner one does not believe) · fr très (to an extent not to be believed) · ca increïblement (to an extent not to be believed) · ka დაუჯერებლად (to an extent not to be believed) · hy անարժանահավատ (in a manner one does not believe) · pt inacreditavelmente (contrary to expectations) · de wunderbarweise (contrary to expectations) · el απίστευτα (to an extent not to be believed) · de unglaublich (in a manner one does not believe) · ka წარმოუდგენლად (to an extent not to be believed) · ru невероя́тно (in a manner one does not believe)