Indomitable
adjective /ɪnˈdɒmɪtəbəl/ — Impossible to subdue or defeat — unconquerable in spirit.
Definition
Refusing to be subdued, overcome, or discouraged — the quality of a will or spirit that cannot be broken by adversity, opposition, or repeated failure.
Beyond the definition
Indomitable is not stubbornness. Stubbornness resists change for its own sake. Indomitable is the refusal to be diminished by circumstances — a spirit that comes back to itself regardless of what tries to reduce it.
Origin & history
Latin 'indomitabilis' — from 'in-' (not) + 'domitabilis' (tameable), from 'domare' (to tame/subdue). Related to 'dominate' — the same root. What is indomitable cannot be dominated.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She showed an indomitable spirit throughout the illness — never asking 'why me', always 'what next'.
His indomitable will was what the team relied on when everything else was uncertain.
Indomitable is not a natural state; it develops in people who have had things to endure.
Synonyms
Antonyms
fragile, faint-hearted, submissive
Related words
Indomitable vs resilient
Resilience describes the ability to bounce back from a setback. Indomitable implies an active force that cannot be broken or subdued, emphasizing active strength over passive recovery.
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Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Shoot growing through marble crack
A small, vibrant green shoot grows through a jagged crack in a heavy marble floor near a discarded compass.
The shoot’s refusal to be overcome by the solid marble signifies an indomitable will. No matter the obstacle or the pressure of the stone, the life-force continues to push through, unable to be subdued or discouraged by its difficult, restrictive surroundings.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration