insurmountable

adjective

in·​sur·​mount·​able ˌin(t)-sər-ˈmau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce insurmountable (audio)
: incapable of being surmounted : insuperable
insurmountable problems
insurmountably adverb

Examples of insurmountable in a Sentence

They were faced with several insurmountable obstacles. the familiar story of the underdog who ultimately triumphs despite insurmountable odds
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas — aided by his opponent Tam Truong briefly facing a felony fraud charge — appears headed to victory, George Casey zoomed to an insurmountable lead over District 10 Councilmember Arjun Batra. Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024 From the financial squeeze of inflation, to recall after recall, and actually getting out the door, going to the grocery store can sometimes feel like an insurmountable task. Jonquilyn Hill, Vox, 5 Nov. 2024 Trump won the state by over 16 points in 2020, and while Tester is anticipated to run ahead of Harris, such a margin at the top of the ticket could be insurmountable for the incumbent senator. Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024 The Suns took advantage of the Clippers’ miscues to pull ahead by what looked to be an insurmountable eight-point lead at 115-107 on a floater by Royce O’Neale. Janis Carr, Orange County Register, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for insurmountable 

Word History

First Known Use

1690, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insurmountable was in 1690

Dictionary Entries Near insurmountable

Cite this Entry

“Insurmountable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insurmountable. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

insurmountable

adjective
in·​sur·​mount·​able ˌin(t)-sər-ˈmau̇nt-ə-bəl How to pronounce insurmountable (audio)
: incapable of being surmounted

More from Merriam-Webster on insurmountable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!