unhearable

Too quiet catching

Unhearable describes sounds too faint, too high or low in frequency, or otherwise impossible to perceive with human hearing: The dog whistle was unhearable to everyone but the spaniel.

The word also applies figuratively to voices or perspectives that go unheard: Her concerns were effectively unhearable in that meeting.

inaudible

imperceptible

Cannot be sensed

subaudibleBelow hearing threshold
ultrasonicAbove audible frequency range
subsonicBelow sound's speed

infrasonic · below-threshold · frequency · decibel · threshold · soundproof · acoustics · ultrasound · vibration · earshot

unspoken

unuttered

Not expressed aloud

unvoicedNot expressed aloud
unspokenNot verbally expressed
wordlessLacking spoken content

tacit · silent · unexpressed · unsaid · implicit · voiceless · speechless · inarticulate · uncommunicated

concealed

hidden

Kept out of sight

secretConcealed information
covertIntentionally concealed
suppressedForcibly held down

undisclosed · undetected · subliminal · imperceptible · clandestine · obscured · latent · unnoticed · buried · masked

muffled

muted

Made quieter or softer

dampenedMade moist or subdued
stifledForcibly held in
smotheredDeprived of air

hushed · softened · suppressed · indistinct · faint · obscured · muting · subdued · quieted · cushioned

Opposites

audibility

unhearableaudible

Capable of being detected by ear

hearable · loud · deafening · thunderous · ear-splitting

Family

hear, hearing, deafening, audible, overhear, inaudible, unheard, hearable, unheard-of

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G