inordinate

[ in-awr-dn-it ]

adjective

1. not within proper or reasonable limits; immoderate; excessive:

   He drank an inordinate amount of wine.

   Synonyms: disproportionate, unreasonable, outrageous, exorbitant, extreme

   Antonyms: reasonable

2. unrestrained in conduct, feelings, etc.:

   an inordinate admirer of beauty.

3. disordered or uncontrolled.
4. not regulated; irregular:

   Keeping such inordinate hours will not help with your sleep issues.

inordinate

/ ɪnˈɔːdɪnɪt /

adjective

1. exceeding normal limits; immoderate
2. unrestrained, as in behaviour or emotion; intemperate
3. irregular or disordered

Derived Forms

• inˈordinacy, noun
• inˈordinately, adverb

Other Words From

• in·or·di·nate·ly adverb
• in·or·di·nate·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inordinate¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English inordinat, from Latin inordinātus “disordered,” equivalent to in- in- ³ + ordinātus “orderly, appointed”; ordain, ordinate

Word History and Origins

Origin of inordinate¹

C14: from Latin inordinātus disordered, from in- ¹+ ordināre to put in order

Example Sentences

Even before the pandemic, women were doing what sociologists describe as the “second shift,” where they complete an inordinate amount of household and caregiving chores after they’ve finished their paid labor.

From Vox

In a commentary, the Fox News host, who has unleashed a steady stream of innuendo-laden vaccine skepticism in recent months, raised the idea that the vaccines may be linked to an inordinate number of deaths.

From Washington Post

She’s reading four books simultaneously while watching, by her own admission, “an inordinate amount of television.”

From Washington Post

Each case involves alleged sex trafficking of a minor — a crime that carries inordinate scorn relative to other crimes and even relative to its potential prison sentence.

From Washington Post

If you have a pool, you probably spend an inordinate amount of time dreaming of this day all winter.

From Popular-Science

Jimmy Carter scolded Americans for their “inordinate fear of communism.”

From The Daily Beast

Owl monkey offspring get an inordinate amount of care from their fathers.

From The Daily Beast

The calories sustain guests who spend inordinate amounts of time outside, particularly at night, when the Northern Lights are out.

From The Daily Beast

Then you will spend an inordinate amount of time figuring out how to cover your head up.

From The Daily Beast

Facebook exerts an inordinate amount of control over your life.

From The Daily Beast

But the inordinate and fortuitous gains from land are really only one example from a general class.

From Project Gutenberg

She slid into the silence with a technicality, asking if John still took his old inordinate amount of sugar.

From Project Gutenberg

The companies are declared to be impoverished by the taking of inordinate numbers of apprentices.

From Project Gutenberg

And was the empty purse supposed to be especially significant of an inordinate fondness for phonograph music—or what?

From Project Gutenberg

He fought back his despair, his jealousy, his inordinate fear.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• disproportionate
• dizzying
• exorbitant
• irrational
• unconscionable
• undue
• unreasonable
• unwarranted