INVIOLABLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does inviolable mean? 

• INVIOLABLE (adjective)
  The adjective INVIOLABLE has 4 senses:

1. incapable of being transgressed or dishonored

2. immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with

3. must be kept sacred

4. not capable of being violated or infringed

  Familiarity information: INVIOLABLE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INVIOLABLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Incapable of being transgressed or dishonored

Context example:

an inviolable oath

Similar:

unassailable; untouchable (impossible to assail)

Antonym:

violable (capable of being violated)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with

Synonyms:

impregnable; inviolable; secure; strong; unassailable; unattackable

Context example:

a secure telephone connection

Similar:

invulnerable (immune to attack; impregnable)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Must be kept sacred

Synonyms:

inviolable; inviolate; sacrosanct

Similar:

sacred (concerned with religion or religious purposes)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Not capable of being violated or infringed

Synonyms:

absolute; infrangible; inviolable

Context example:

infrangible human rights

Similar:

inalienable; unalienable (incapable of being repudiated or transferred to another)

 Context examples 

But he added, that since I professed so inviolable an attachment to truth, I must give him my word and honour to bear him company in this voyage, without attempting any thing against my life; or else he would continue me a prisoner till we arrived at Lisbon.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Not another word did Mr. Dick utter on the subject; but he made a very telegraph of himself for the next half-hour (to the great disturbance of my aunt's mind), to enjoin inviolable secrecy on me.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

As I laid down my pen, a moment since, to think of it, the air from the sea came blowing in again, mixed with the perfume of the flowers; and I saw the old-fashioned furniture brightly rubbed and polished, my aunt's inviolable chair and table by the round green fan in the bow-window, the drugget-covered carpet, the cat, the kettle-holder, the two canaries, the old china, the punchbowl full of dried rose-leaves, the tall press guarding all sorts of bottles and pots, and, wonderfully out of keeping with the rest, my dusty self upon the sofa, taking note of everything.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)