: not capable of being played or suitable to be played : not playable
a golf course rendered unplayable by heavy rains
dealt an unplayable card
music so complex as to be almost unplayable
Service is my strong point at tennis. I am inaccurate, but vigorous, and occasionally send in a quite unplayable shot.P. G. Wodehouse
found the ball in an unplayable lie [=a position that does not allow a shot to be made]

Examples of unplayable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What should a player do if their ball comes to a halt on a paved (and unplayable) road? Jared Perlo, NBC news, 21 June 2026 Torrential rains rendered the two grass fields unplayable. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026 Roach, who came into the day with 296 test wickets, was almost unplayable though the Sri Lanka resistance was thin. ABC News, 28 June 2026 That performance was acceptable in 2000, but it would be considered nearly unplayable in 2026. Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unplayable

Word History

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unplayable was in 1806

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Cite this Entry

“Unplayable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unplayable. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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