Inaccessible means impossible or very difficult to reach, enter, or use. A hiking trail blocked by a landslide becomes inaccessible until workers clear the debris. A website that won't load properly on your phone is inaccessible. An attic without a ladder is inaccessible unless you can fly.

The word also describes things that are hard to understand or approach. A textbook filled with complicated jargon might be inaccessible to someone just learning the subject. A famous celebrity surrounded by bodyguards and security might seem inaccessible to ordinary fans hoping for an autograph.

Think of inaccessible as the opposite of accessible. If something is accessible, you can easily get to it or use it. If it's inaccessible, there's a barrier in your way: physical distance, locked doors, difficult language, or something else blocking your path.

When architects design buildings to be accessible, they add ramps and elevators so everyone can enter, including people who use wheelchairs. When teachers make lessons accessible, they explain ideas clearly so all students can learn. Making things accessible instead of inaccessible means removing barriers that keep people out.