Meanings
comparative more unflappable · superlative most unflappable
- Remaining composed and level-headed at all times; impossible to fluster; not becoming frustrated or irritated easily.First known use 1954
The whole thing looked remarkably like an implacable force meeting an unflappable object.
1959, The Economist, volume 1904 more examples
It was for this reason that when Lord Hailsham first described Harold Macmillan as "unflappable'", it became an instant catchword, distancing the incoming Prime Minister from his predecessor
1978, James D. Margach, The abuse of power: the war between Downing Street and the media from Lloyd George to CallaghanWhereas his predecessor was impetuous, Obama was praised for being contemplative and unflappable. Bush had a gut; Obama had a brain.
2010 September 26, Gary Younge, “Obama won as cool and unflappable. But presidents need to act angry too”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 02 Aug 2024Hill’s unflappable performance capped an extraordinary two weeks of public testimony, in which 12 witnesses testified during seven public hearings.
2019 November 22, Lauren Gambino, “'Absolute fearlessness': women take impeachment spotlight and speak truth as Trump fumes”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 01 Jan 2020It took a lot to get Wheeler's pulse going, but Lillian's dangerous joke had done the job. The otherwise unflappable woman was flushed with adrenaline.
2023 October 22, HarryBlank, “Waiting to Happen”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 23 May 2024Synonyms: collected, cool, even-keeled, imperturbable, adiaphroistic, apathetic, apathistical, blasé · Antonyms: flappable
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveRemaining composed and level-headed at all times; impossible to fluster; not becoming frustrated or irritated easily.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivenot easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Germanic*un-
- Proto-West Germanic*un-
- Old Englishun-
- Middle Englishun-
- Englishun-
- Englishflap
- Englishunflappable
From un- + flap (“to upset, stir”) + -able.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian невъзмутим
- невъзмутим (nevăzmutim)remaining composed and level-headed at all times
Catalan impertorbable
- impertorbableremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Dutch onverstoorbaar
- onverstoorbaarremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Finnish järkähtämätön
- järkähtämätönremaining composed and level-headed at all times
French imperturbable
- imperturbableremaining composed and level-headed at all times
German unerschütterlich
- unerschütterlichremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Hungarian kizökkenthetetlen, rendíthetetlen
- kizökkenthetetlenremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- rendíthetetlenremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- higgadtremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- szenvtelenremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- nyugodtremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- blazírtremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Polish niewzruszony
- niewzruszonyremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Russian невозмути́мый
- невозмути́мый (nevozmutímyj)remaining composed and level-headed at all times
Spanish imperturbable
- imperturbableremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Swedish orubblig, oberörd
- orubbligremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- oberördremaining composed and level-headed at all times
- osårbarremaining composed and level-headed at all times
Ukrainian незвору́шний
- незвору́шний (nezvorúšnyj)remaining composed and level-headed at all times
Cite this entry
unflappable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unflappable
“unflappable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unflappable. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unflappable,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unflappable.
Source: unflappable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.