insurmountable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of insurmountable
First recorded in 1690–1700; in- 3 + surmountable ( def. )
Explanation
The adjective insurmountable describes some barrier that is incapable of being overcome. The Great Wall of China was meant to be an insurmountable deterrent to would-be invaders. Although the adjective insurmountable can be used to describe an actual physical barrier, it most often refers to a less tangible challenge. "The runner was disheartened because her competitor had an insurmountable lead in the race." "Because of insurmountable difficulties, the school's fall party had to be canceled. The water heater burst, raining gallons of water down on the gym, and flooding it. Since it was not a swimming party, the school wasn't able to clean up the mess in time to host the party."
Vocabulary lists containing insurmountable
Power Suffix: -able
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The Awakening
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These requirements are more than rigorous; they are nearly insurmountable.
From Slate • May 29, 2026
While plutonium-based devices require a higher degree of design sophistication, it’s naive to assume those technical hurdles are insurmountable.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
There are still powerful ways to tell stories, even amid mergers and changes that seem insurmountable.
From Salon • May 1, 2026
Staring at the prospect of letting another seemingly insurmountable lead slip, Arsenal are desperate to banish those demons, having grappled with the tag over the past two decades.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
I don’t think it would have been a big deal then, but now it feels insurmountable.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
