Indelible

//ɪnˈdɛləbl// adj

adj ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Having the quality of being difficult to delete, remove, wash away, blot out, or efface.

    "This ink spot on the contract is indelible."

  2. 2
    Incapable of being canceled, lost, or forgotten. figuratively

    "That horrible story just might make an indelible impression on the memory."

  3. 3
    Incapable of being annulled.

    "November 7, 1678, Thomas Sprat, a sermon preached at the Anniversary Meeting of the Sons of Clergymen in the Church of St Mary-le-Bow They are […] endued with indelible power from above."

Adjective
  1. 1
    cannot be removed or erased wordnet

Example

More examples

"Will you please use indelible ink so the phrase won't rub out?"

Etymology

From Latin indelebilis (“indestructible”).

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.