Word: implacable (adjective)

Associations

"Implacable" means someone or something that cannot be calmed down, stopped, or made peaceful. It often describes strong feelings like anger or hatred that do not go away.

• Example 1: "She had an implacable anger towards the injustice." This means her anger was very strong and would not lessen.
• Example 2: "The implacable enemy kept attacking despite negotiations." Here, the enemy cannot be stopped or made peaceful.
• Example 3: "He showed implacable determination to finish the project." This means he was very firm and would not give up.

A synonym is "unforgiving," but "implacable" often suggests a continuous and unstoppable force, while "unforgiving" focuses more on not forgiving mistakes or offenses.

Substitution

You can use words like:

• relentless (focuses on not stopping),
• unyielding (focuses on not giving in),
• unstoppable (focuses on not being stopped).

Each word changes the feeling slightly. For example, "relentless" is often about effort or pressure, while "implacable" is more about feelings or forces that cannot be changed.

Deconstruction

"Implacable" comes from Latin:

• Prefix "im-" means "not."
• Root "placare" means "to please or calm."
• Suffix "-able" means "able to be."

So, "implacable" literally means "not able to be calmed or pleased."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you felt implacable about something? What was it?
• How would you describe an implacable person in a story or movie?
• Can "implacable" be used for positive feelings, or is it mostly negative? Why?