un·touch·able
ˌən-ˈtə-chə-bəl 
1
a
: forbidden to the touch : not to be handled
b
: exempt from criticism or control
2
: lying beyond reach
3
: disagreeable or defiling to the touch
plural untouchables
: someone or something that is untouchable
… so Frey moved Keith Moreland from right-field to third base and benched Ron Cey temporarily, while Green threatened to trade heretofore untouchables.—
Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons
specifically, dated, offensive
: a member of the lowest class in the traditional Hindu social hierarchy having in traditional Hindu belief the quality of defiling by contact a member of a higher caste : dalit
Synonyms
Examples of untouchable in a Sentence
Adjective
The mayor believed that he was untouchable and not subject to the same laws as the rest of us.
The team's record was untouchable.
Recent Examples on the WebRory Smith, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Sewell may play Andrew more bumbling than arrogant, even though the second descriptive better sums up the real prince’s attitude throughout that exchange, yet the notion of an supposedly untouchable man repeatedly shooting himself in the crotch remains.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
Amid the uplift, McAlister’s concerns of class discrimination within the BBC’s ranks are briefly set to one side — yet the takeaway here is that the Royal Family’s untouchable elite status endures, with the Prince at once disciplined and protected by his own, yet to face criminal charges.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Leak by agonizing leak, the uncertainty chips away at the aura of an icon who was once thought to be untouchable.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Continue reading … ‘CULTURE OF ABUSE’ – Jill Biden's 'work husband' plagued by disturbing claims, deemed untouchable.
—Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024
While former ratings staples like awards shows continue to tank, the Super Bowl seems untouchable, the one remaining big event that guarantees a huge TV audience.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2024
Related article China’s military has become an untouchable nationalist symbol.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
Eury Perez is the one Marlins pitcher considered untouchable.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024
Ira Winderman, sun-sentinel.com, 30 Mar. 2021
Virus piles on the pain for India's 'untouchables' India's caste system was officially abolished in 1950, but the 2,000-year-old social system imposed on people by birth still exists in many aspects of life.
—Eliza MacKintosh, CNN, 16 Apr. 2020
The untouchables Lam’s continuing refusal to set up an independent inquiry has raised questions as to whether the government has ultimate authority over the police force in the wake of the territory’s return to China.
—Mary Hui, Quartz, 11 Dec. 2019
Apple TV+ has reportedly sunk at least $1 billion — and possibly $6 billion — into its original content, signing untouchables like Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams as production heavyweights.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019
Two hundred million of them are Dalit, or what used to be called untouchables.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2019
The relative increase in the Muslim population that the census had established, and the uncertain status of untouchables and tribal groups as Hindus for enumeration purposes made the definition of a Hindu all the more critical.
—Vikram Sampath, Quartz India, 20 Aug. 2019
Many of the crimes against women and children have also been hate crimes against Dalits (untouchables) and minorities, argues Kavita Krishnan, secretary of All India Progressive Women's Association.
—Sam Kiley, CNN, 17 May 2018
But some of the village’s poorest residents — former untouchables — were given new connections in January after living for decades in darkness.
—Vidhi Doshi, Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2018
Adjective
This is the reality for the vast majority of teams, of course, for all of those clubs marooned outside the game’s untouchable elite.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Sewell may play Andrew more bumbling than arrogant, even though the second descriptive better sums up the real prince’s attitude throughout that exchange, yet the notion of an supposedly untouchable man repeatedly shooting himself in the crotch remains.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
Amid the uplift, McAlister’s concerns of class discrimination within the BBC’s ranks are briefly set to one side — yet the takeaway here is that the Royal Family’s untouchable elite status endures, with the Prince at once disciplined and protected by his own, yet to face criminal charges.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Leak by agonizing leak, the uncertainty chips away at the aura of an icon who was once thought to be untouchable.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Continue reading … ‘CULTURE OF ABUSE’ – Jill Biden's 'work husband' plagued by disturbing claims, deemed untouchable.
—Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024
While former ratings staples like awards shows continue to tank, the Super Bowl seems untouchable, the one remaining big event that guarantees a huge TV audience.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2024
Related article China’s military has become an untouchable nationalist symbol.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
Eury Perez is the one Marlins pitcher considered untouchable.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024
Noun
Sure, but then again so was the Heat insistence that the team’s protection of its youth made Herro, Robinson and even Precious Achiuwa untouchable.
—Ira Winderman, sun-sentinel.com, 30 Mar. 2021
Virus piles on the pain for India's 'untouchables' India's caste system was officially abolished in 1950, but the 2,000-year-old social system imposed on people by birth still exists in many aspects of life.
—Eliza MacKintosh, CNN, 16 Apr. 2020
The untouchables Lam’s continuing refusal to set up an independent inquiry has raised questions as to whether the government has ultimate authority over the police force in the wake of the territory’s return to China.
—Mary Hui, Quartz, 11 Dec. 2019
Apple TV+ has reportedly sunk at least $1 billion — and possibly $6 billion — into its original content, signing untouchables like Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams as production heavyweights.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2019
Two hundred million of them are Dalit, or what used to be called untouchables.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2019
The relative increase in the Muslim population that the census had established, and the uncertain status of untouchables and tribal groups as Hindus for enumeration purposes made the definition of a Hindu all the more critical.
—Vikram Sampath, Quartz India, 20 Aug. 2019
Many of the crimes against women and children have also been hate crimes against Dalits (untouchables) and minorities, argues Kavita Krishnan, secretary of All India Progressive Women's Association.
—Sam Kiley, CNN, 17 May 2018
But some of the village’s poorest residents — former untouchables — were given new connections in January after living for decades in darkness.
—Vidhi Doshi, Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'untouchable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near untouchable
Cite this Entry
“Untouchable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/untouchable. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
untouchable
1 of 2 adjective
un·touch·able
ˌən-ˈtəch-ə-bəl
ˈən-
1
a
: not to be touched or handled
b
: not to be criticized or controlled
2
: lying beyond the reach
untouchable
2 of 2 noun
: one that is untouchable
especially
: a member of the lowest social class in India
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