insoluble
Americanadjective
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incapable of being dissolved.
insoluble salts.
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incapable of being solved or explained.
an insoluble problem.
adjective
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incapable of being dissolved; incapable of forming a solution, esp in water
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incapable of being solved
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of insoluble
1350–1400; < Latin insolūbilis; replacing Middle English insolible < Middle French insoluble < L. See in- 3, soluble
Explanation
Let a bottle of salad dressing stand on the table for a few hours and you will notice that it has separated into layers. That's because oil is insoluble or is not capable of being dissolved. Insoluble comes from the Latin insolubilis meaning "that cannot be loosened." When a substance is insoluble, it cannot be dissolved or loosened in water. Similarly, a situation that is insoluble has no hope of being solved. When a marriage is beyond repair and cannot be fixed, it is insoluble.
Vocabulary lists containing insoluble
Animal Farm
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"The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Stories of Ourselves
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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.
Insoluble fiber — found in foods like whole wheat and wheat bran — helps clear out the gut, and is not digested.
From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026
Insoluble fiber is commonly found in whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2026
Insoluble fibres, found in wholegrain bread, bran and the skins of fruit and vegetables, help our poo travel through the gut.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Insoluble fiber can help your digestive system function smoothly, preventing constipation.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2023
Insoluble in cold water, it dissolves in alcohol and alkalies; is precipitated from alkaline solutions by acids without alteration; and is bleached by chlorine.
From Field's Chromatography or Treatise on Colours and Pigments as Used by Artists by Salter, Thomas
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.
