nonexcusable

Nonexcusable is an adjective meaning not excusable; not able to be justified, forgiven, or pardoned. It is formed from the prefix non- attached to excusable, which comes from Latin excusabilis, from excusare “to excuse.”

Etymology and form: The word combines non- with excusable. The related term in everyday usage is inexcusable, which is far more common. Spelling variants exist in some dictionaries, such as non-excusable or nonexcusable, though they are less frequent in contemporary prose.

Usage and nuance: Nonexcusable is typically found in formal, legal, or stylistic writing or in discussions that emphasize a negation of justification. In practice, inexcusable is the more standard choice in general writing when describing actions or errors that cannot be justified. When a text already uses a non- prefix for other terms, some writers may prefer nonexcusable for consistency; others may avoid it to reduce potential confusion with the more common inexcusable.

Examples: The company called the breach a nonexcusable violation of policy. The delay was deemed nonexcusable given the available notices and resources.

See also: excusable, inexcusable, excusability, excuse.

Overall, nonexcusable communicates the same core idea as inexcusable—something that cannot be justified—but is far less common and may be reserved for particular formal or stylistic contexts.