What does incredible mean?
Incredible is an adjective meaning extraordinary, remarkable, or astonishing. It is commonly used to praise an achievement, performance, or event, as in “an incredible achievement,” while also describing something so unusual that it seems impossible to believe. The word can therefore carry either admiration or disbelief, depending on context. Its intensifying use is especially natural in spoken English, where “incredible” conveys surprise more strongly than a neutral description. Historically, the word meant “not believable,” and that sense survives in expressions such as “an incredible story.” Today, however, it is frequently positive and emphatic. The related adverb “incredibly” is widely used to modify verbs and adjectives, while the noun “incredibility” refers to the quality of being remarkable or difficult to believe.
adjectiveExtraordinary, remarkable, or surprising. It can also mean impossible or difficult to believe, often expressing strong admiration, astonishment, or disbelief.
- Extraordinary or remarkable, especially in a way that inspires admiration or amazement.
- So implausible or surprising that it is difficult to believe.
"She gave an incredible account of how the team completed the project despite the delays."
"The team delivered an incredible result against all expectations."
"His explanation sounded incredible, and no one could decide whether it was true."
Incredible comes from the Latin incredibilis, literally “not believable,” but modern English uses it for both astonishingly good news and stories that strain belief.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of incredible
The word comes from Latin incredibilis, formed from in-, meaning “not,” and credere, meaning “to believe.” It entered English in the 15th century in the sense “not believable, incredible.” By the 17th century, it had developed the modern sense of extraordinary or remarkable, while retaining meanings connected with surprise and implausibility. English forms such as credible, credibility, credence, and incredulous share the same Latin root of belief and trust.
Related word forms
How incredible is actually used
In everyday use, “incredible” is often emphatic and somewhat informal, especially when expressing admiration. In formal contexts, “incredible” can sound stronger and more categorical than “remarkable” or “extraordinary.”
Easily confused with incredible
Credible means believable or deserving of trust, whereas incredible can mean either so remarkable that it seems extraordinary or so implausible that it cannot easily be believed.