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
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 Web
The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
Schefter recently reported that those three names have drawn the most trade interest around the league, while rookie quarterback Cam Ward and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons remain untouchable.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for untouchable
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Adjective
Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel looked untouchable out front.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
Schefter recently reported that those three names have drawn the most trade interest around the league, while rookie quarterback Cam Ward and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons remain untouchable.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for untouchable
Cite this Entry
“Untouchable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/untouchable. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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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