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Inexplicably vs Ineffable - What's the difference?

inexplicably | ineffable |

As an adverb inexplicably

is in an inexplicable manner; for an unknown reason.

As an adjective ineffable is

beyond expression in words; unspeakable.

inexplicably

English

Adverb

(en adverb)
  • In an inexplicable manner; for an unknown reason.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=September 28 , author=Jon Smith , title=Valencia 1 - 1 Chelsea , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The Ivorian then inexplicably handled the resultant corner and referee Nicola Rizzoli had no hesitation pointing to the spot.}}

    Synonyms

    * unexplainably

    ineffable

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Beyond expression in words; unspeakable.
  • * 1919 ,
  • Stroeve was trying to express a feeling which he had never known before, and he did not know how to put it into common terms. He was like the mystic seeking to describe the ineffable .
  • * Gay Watson, Stephen Batchelor, Guy Claxton, The Psychology of Awakening: Buddhism, science, and our day-to-day lives (2000) p. 100:
  • As Alan Watts (1961) wrote, it involves trying to speak the unspeakable, scrute the inscrutable and eff the ineffable .
  • Forbidden to be uttered; taboo.
  • Antonyms

    * (beyond expression in words) noisy

    Synonyms

    * (beyond expression in words) indescribable, inexpressible, unspeakable * (forbidden to be uttered) taboo, unspeakable, unutterable * See also