insurmountable

[in-ser-moun-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. incapable of being surmounted, passed over, or overcome; insuperable.

   an insurmountable obstacle.

insurmountable

/ ˌɪnsəˈmaʊntəbəl /

adjective

1. incapable of being overcome; insuperable

Other Word Forms

• insurmountability noun
• insurmountableness noun
• insurmountably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of insurmountable¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; in- ³ + surmountable ( def. )

Example Sentences

DOJ investigators who probed Comey’s 2020 testimony warned against pursuing charges in an internal memo last month, saying that the prosecution would face “likely insurmountable problems.”

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Scottie Scheffler's dominance at the top of the men's game - insurmountable as the world number one, ruthless wins at the majors and cleaning up on the PGA Tour - have seen parallels drawn with Tiger Woods.

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The summer is the toughest for her, she said, because every vacation comes with the insurmountable task of finding accommodations for Mini.

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To face the often scary and seemingly insurmountable challenge of making it through our scarred landscape, we must do the little things.

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But researchers in England and France found that the tree-planting process, known as afforestation, faces insurmountable land use and financial challenges.

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Related Words

• hopeless 
• impassable 
• impregnable 
• invincible 
• overwhelming 
• unbeatable