insurmountable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- insurmountability noun
- insurmountableness noun
- insurmountably adverb
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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Be More Chill
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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.
Not paying off your student loans can be an understandable temptation, especially when you’re facing what feels like an insurmountable amount of debt.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026
But she said the challenge was not insurmountable.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
And for service workers—the people who staff hospitals, schools, restaurants and local government—the barriers are often insurmountable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026
A double in the sixth edged GB in front again, but the concession of three in the following end gave the Americans a lead that looked insurmountable until Morrison's late intervention gave them a lifeline.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
The Court justified this insurmountable hurdle on the grounds that considerable deference is owed the exercise of prosecutorial discretion.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
