insurmountable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word 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.
In a family that is very “English,” not big on touch and emotive language, this presents potentially insurmountable awkwardness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
As the film progresses, Herzog intimately considers humanity’s relationship to the insurmountable.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
It remains their Holy Grail – but if Odegaard maintains his brilliant form then their chances of crossing a so far insurmountable barrier will increase hugely.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Publishing his outlook for the remainder of the year on Tuesday, JPMorgan’s strategist Mislav Matejka also finds that “we do not expect rising bond yields to present an insurmountable obstacle for stocks.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
“An almost insurmountable handicap for the Huskies,” declared the New York Sun’s Malcolm Roy.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
